Self-driving cars and more will benefit from this constellation
Just like our seafaring ancestors, self-driving vehicles will look to the stars for guidance. PHOTO FROM GEELY
If you didn’t know, Geely is a really big company. Aside from acquiring legendary brands like Volvo and Lotus to name a few, it has its own subsidiary under the Geely Technology Group.
It’s called Geespace, which is China’s first privately-owned developer, operator, and mass producer of low-orbit commercial satellites. This company has just recently launched its first nine satellites from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
If you’re wondering what these nine GeeSAT-1 satellites will be used for, they will be part of a constellation called the Geely Future Mobility Constellation, which will comprise 240 satellites, with 72 expected to be launched in orbit by 2025.
Your next self-driving car from the Geely group will be powered by these satellites. PHOTO FROM GEELY
These satellites will aid in providing positioning and connectivity to automotive brands in Geely’s portfolio, meaning its cars will be able to have true, safe autonomous driving that will interconnect vehicles and infrastructure.
But for now, these few that were launched into the atmosphere will be used for the upcoming Asian Games with positioning, remote sensing, and communication services. Future uses include a one-stop logistics monitoring service platform and Geely’s “Blue Guardian” corporate social responsibility project which monitors water quality and patches of debris to be cleaned up.
These satellites are sustainably made, and will be responsibly disposed of in the future. PHOTO FROM GEELY
Initially, the service coverage will be in the Chinese market and Asia-Pacific region, with global coverage planned after 2026. These will be managed from its ground stations in China, located in the cities of Qingdao, Taizhou, Korla, Chengdu, and Harbin.
And if you’re wondering, these sustainably-developed satellites will have a lifespan of five years, after which they will propel themselves into the earth’s atmosphere to disintegrate, so space debris won’t be an issue.
Keyword: Geely launches 9 satellites to aid with autonomous driving and mapping