China recently launched the 11th satellite under a classified Chinese military programme with the country's most powerful rocket. Chinese state media has reported the successful launch of the satellite from the southern island of Hainan with a Long March 5 rocket.
So far, by the time of writing, no details on the satellite were given, except that it will be mainly used for "multi-band and high-speed communication technology experiments".
The powerful Long March 5 rocket is normally used to launch very large payloads. A Long March 5 rocket was last used in December to launch a large optical remote-sensing satellite into orbit.
The last satellite launched under the classified military programme was in early November, though the smaller medium-lift Long March 7A rocket was used.
State media reported that the satellite was also to be used for largely multi-band and high-speed communication technology experiments, without elaborating.
Western orbital data previously indicated a satellite under the programme approached a U.S. satellite in at least one instance in 2022.
The U.S. Space Force has previously complained about one of its satellites being followed by two Russian satellites.
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Report from Reuters