China Launches 13 Qiansian Satellites into Polar Orbit

China successfully launched 13 "Qiansian" satellites into polar orbit on Thursday, July 4, 2026, from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The launch was conducted using a Long March 6A carrier rocket, marking the 655th flight for the Long March rocket series.

The satellites were successfully deployed into their predetermined orbits, signaling the completion of a successful mission. This launch is part of Shanghai Yuanxin Satellite Technology Co., Ltd.'s broader "Qiansian Constellation" project, which aims to provide global, low-latency, high-speed satellite broadband internet services.

The "Qiansian Constellation" is planned to achieve global coverage in multiple phases. Phase one aims for regional coverage with 648 satellites, followed by phase two to reach global coverage with 1296 satellites. The project ultimately plans to deploy over 15,000 satellites to support diversified services.

The Long March 6A rocket, also referred to as Long March 6, is a new generation medium-sized carrier rocket capable of delivering over 6.5 tons to a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit and has the capacity for multiple satellite launches. The previous launch of "Qiansian" satellites occurred on June 5, 2026, when 12 "Qiansian" satellites were sent into orbit by a Long March 8 rocket.