Imagine a global network of satellites delivering data in any weather and at any hour. In a landmark announcement at the 2025 Shenzhen (Luohu) Aerospace Industry Conference in southern Guangdong Province on the Chinese mainland, private space startup Cangyu Space unveiled its plan to launch the first geostationary-Earth orbit (GEO) satellite in 2026.
This inaugural launch kicks off the 13-satellite Cangyu Constellation, the world’s first commercial high-orbit relay satellite program. By 2030, the constellation will include 4 GEO, 6 medium-Earth orbit (MEO), and 3 inclined-geosynchronous orbit (IGSO) satellites, creating an all-day, all-weather coverage network for tracking, data relay, and connectivity.
From low Earth orbit spacecraft and rockets to crewed missions, drones and Internet of Things devices, the Cangyu Constellation aims to serve a wide range of users worldwide. Cangyu Space already provides tracking, telemetry, command and data transmission services for LEO platforms, along with real-time relay support for ground-based IoT networks and emergency response, polar research and oceanic expeditions.
At the conference, the company also unveiled its global satellite information system services, new terminal solutions and data transmission standards. A highlight was the plan to create the Innovation Center for Relay-Based Real-Time Remote Sensing in Luohu District, in partnership with Wuhan University. This center will fuse academic expertise in geomatics and remote sensing with Cangyu Space’s relay satellite communications know-how to develop experimental satellites and demonstration systems for next-generation remote sensing.
Luohu District is fast becoming an aerospace hub. Commercial rocket firm LandSpace, satellite operator Unified Net and micro-satellite developer MagicCubeSat are already active in the area. This year, local officials aim to attract more than 20 leading enterprises in low-altitude and aerospace sectors, driving deeper integration between space technology and the digital economy.
Reference(s):
World's 1st commercial high-orbit satellite program set for launch
cgtn.com
