Tianqi 6

Tianqi 6 [SAST]

Tianqi (also transcribed Tiange) is a series of small Chinese experimental LEO comsats by Guodian Gaoke for IoT (Internet-of-Things) communications, which are also carrying a camera for educational purposes.

Guodian Gaoke plans to operate an IoT constellation. The "Apocalypse Constellation" provides users with much-needed data collection and transmission services for terrestrial network coverage blind areas, which are widely used in marine, environmental protection, meteorological, forestry, geological, emergency, rescue and smart city industries to enhance China's global data network coverage and application capabilities are of strategic importance.

Tianqi 6 is the fifth 50 kg class spacecraft manufactured by ASES under the Shanghai Institute of Space Systems Engineering, which itself belongs to SAST. It uses the company’s self-developed and expanded Cubic Star platform to break through the technology of operating in an inclined orbit with complex illumination and variable thermal environment for the first time.

Due to the special requirements of the satellite's load antenna and the carrier installation position, the designer adopted a load-centric micro-nano spacecraft integrated design plan, innovatively designed an L-shaped configuration, and adopted a new separation mechanism.

Tianqi 6, was launched on 26 October 2020 as a co-passenger to the Yaogan 30-07 triplet on a CZ-2C (3) rocket.