Doha: China has begun deploying its first commercial constellation dedicated to space debris monitoring, a 120-satellite network that aims for round-the-clock all-orbit target detection. The first satellite of the Gande Constellation lifted off on Friday aboard a Lijian-1 commercial rocket from northwest China. Chief engineer of the constellation, Fan Wei, stated that the successful launch fills a gap in China's commercial space-based debris monitoring capabilities and marks "a key step in space traffic management."
According to Qatar News Agency, the constellation, developed by ATmoto Technology, a Beijing-based private aerospace company, is planned in three phases, with full deployment targeted before 2030. The first phase, designated LX630, will consist of 14 satellites. Jointly built by Liangxi Aerospace Technology Group in east China's Wuxi and ATmoto Technology, these satellites are designed to support comprehensive monitoring and cataloging of targets across low, medium, and high orbits.
The developers emphasized that the first satellite is equipped with an onboard artificial intelligence-aided computer, enabling it to flexibly carry out routine surveillance, emergency response, and rapid tracking missions without frequent ground intervention. Media reports estimate that the number of space debris pieces larger than one centimeter, large enough to pose a potential threat to spacecraft, has surpassed one million. These fragments travel at approximately 7.9 km per second, carrying significant kinetic energy upon impact.
The constellation is named after Gande, a Chinese astronomer from the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), who is credited with some of the earliest known star catalogs. The developer noted that the second phase of the project will add 36 satellites equipped with high-resolution imaging and electromagnetic environment sensors, while the third phase will add 70 AI-enabled satellites for object recognition, behavioral analysis, and autonomous decision-making.