In a major milestone for China’s domestic satellite internet development, a Smart Dragon-3 (SD-3) carrier rocket successfully delivered a new technology test satellite to its pre-planned orbit on Saturday, April 11, 2026. The launch operation, conducted from offshore waters near Yangjiang, a coastal city in South China’s Guangdong Province, lifted off at 7:32 p.m. Beijing Time, marking another successful orbital mission carried out by the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.
This test satellite is explicitly designed to advance research and validation of cutting-edge satellite internet technologies, laying critical groundwork for the future deployment of large-scale, low-latency global satellite internet constellations developed by China. Offshore launch capabilities, the method used for this mission, offer unique advantages including greater flexibility in adjusting orbital inclination, reduced restrictions on launch drop zones for rocket debris, and lower infrastructure costs compared to traditional inland launch sites, making it an increasingly popular option for commercial and research orbital missions.
The Smart Dragon-3 rocket, developed for commercial launch services, has established a consistent track record of successful missions, demonstrating the maturity of China’s commercial rocket technology and its ability to support a growing range of space research and application projects. This successful launch brings China one step closer to building a fully operational, self-developed satellite internet network, which will expand global connectivity options, support downstream applications in communications, navigation, remote sensing, and other technology sectors.