China Smart Dragon-3 Commercial Satellite Rocket Launch (Ship-based)
Lifting off at 07:56 UTC September 24, 2025, a Smart Dragon 3 (Jielong-3) rocket launched 11 GeeSat Geely-06 constellation satellites, plus another cubesat from the sea near Rizhao in east China's Shandong province. This was the eighth successful flight, further proving the Smart Dragon's capability to deliver 1,560 kg to a 500 km Sun-synchronous orbit. Smart Dragon-3 has a length of approximately 31 meters with a weight of 140 tons at liftoff.
The Jielong-3 rocket was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the country’s state-owned main space contractor. The four-stage rocket is operated by China Rocket Co. Ltd., a commercial spinoff from CASC.
The Geely-06 constellation, operated by Geely Holding Group, is a significant advancement in China's commercial satellite network. The constellation's first phase deployment includes 64 satellites, providing real-time global surface communications and supporting an extensive user base. The constellation is designed to serve 20 million users worldwide, handling up to 340 million messages per day. It supports high-frequency users and medium- to low-frequency users, transmitting 1,900-byte packets for text, voice, and images. The first phase is set to expand to 72 satellites, boosting capacity and service reliability.
Geely is also piloting satellite-Internet of Things (IoT) technologies for smart vehicles, marine fisheries, heavy machinery, and logistics. The constellation's service frequency features strong diffraction characteristics to better ensure communication availability and reliability "above international standards".
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