China Releases New Space Standards for Satellite Constellations

China has released new national standards for the space sector focused on unifying the mechanical interfaces between satellites and their launch vehicles. This initiative is intended to bolster the country's efforts in building extensive constellations of satellites in low-Earth orbit.

A key standard, "Requirements for Mechanical Interfaces of Flat-Type Stacked Satellites and Launch Vehicles," has been developed incorporating lessons from projects like Gwoceng and Qianfan. It promotes standardized and unified designs for these interfaces, providing critical common technical support for large-scale low-Earth orbit constellation projects. The standard outlines definitions, interface design criteria, recommended dimensional series, and requirements for verification and testing.

This standard is particularly aimed at low-Earth orbit satellite internet projects, such as the Gwoceng and Qianfan constellations. It is expected to drive the standardization of mechanical interfaces, enhancing product generality and interchangeability. This is crucial for meeting the urgent demand for scaled deployment, cost-effective manufacturing, and rapid networked launches of satellite constellations. The standard's adoption signifies a major step in the standardization effort for flat-type stacked satellites.

Furthermore, two new standards related to Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) have been approved. "Requirements for Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Positioning Augmentation Centers" and "Classification Codes for Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Receivers" are fully aligned with international ISO standards. They offer essential guidance for the development of GNSS application technologies and the definition of products and services. The positioning augmentation center standard details system specifications, technical requirements, and international reference frameworks for real-time and post-processed positioning services. The receiver classification code standard establishes a unified coding system for GNSS receivers, fostering international compatibility and market growth.

China's State Administration for Market Regulation plans to promote the implementation of these standards and refine them further based on practical application. The objective is to establish a comprehensive and efficient standardization system for global navigation satellite systems.