HELSINKI — Private firm Cangyu Space Technology is planning a commercial data relay constellation using a novel mix of orbits, signaling continued expansion of China’s commercial ecosystem.
Cangyu Space Technology presented its plans at the third Meishan Satellite Application Industry Development Conference in Meishan City, Sichuan Province, which ran June 9-10. Cangyu vice president Wei Xiaohui detailed a space-based information transmission system covering the entire globe, including the polar regions.
The constellation will consist of 13 satellites in different orbits. Six will operate in medium Earth orbits (MEO), four will be placed along the geostationary belt (GEO) at 35,786 kilometers above the equator, and three more in inclined geosynchronous orbits (IGSO).
The GEO sats will provide persistent coverage over specific regions, with the IGSO sats offering overlapping coverage and better observation angles. A presentation slide also notes planned use of Q/V bands; high-frequency ranges typically used for high-capacity satellite communications.
The presentation claims the hybrid system is the world’s only commercial relay satellite system combining high and medium orbits. In Chinese aerospace parlance, GEO is commonly labeled as a “high orbit,” in contrast to low Earth orbit (LEO) and MEO. SES’s MEO O3b mPower system may be the closest commercial analog.
According to the company presentation, use cases appear to include data relay for UAVs, launch vehicle telemetry, maritime and aviation assets, and potentially Internet of Things and data nodes in remote or rural areas.
The company also refers to its relay system as part of a “space-based Silk Road,” suggesting aspirational or actual alignment with China’s broader digital and infrastructure diplomacy under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Cangyu said the first “high orbit” satellite has entered the production phase, with a planned launch by the end of 2026, according to a June 11 statement. Cangyu-1 is expected to be around 1,700 kilograms.
The plans indicate further growth and diversification of commercial activities in China, expanding from LEO to MEO and GEO, and a rise in companies moving into space infrastructure.
Tsingshen Tech, a collaboration between Tsinghua University and the Shanghai government, currently has a pair of satellites in MEO. Meanwhile, China is building at least two megaconstellations, the national Guowang system and the quasi-commercial Qianfan, or Thousand Sails constellation.
Cangyu Space Technology, full name Cangyu Tianji (Beijing) Information and Communication Technology Co., Ltd., was established in December 2021 and is located in Beijing’s Haidian district. Publicly available records provide limited detail, though the firm likely includes former engineers from state-owned contractors such as CAST given its dominant role in GEO within China.
Despite low visibility in terms of internal operations, personnel and technical milestones, Cangyu has already made observable progress in some areas. It has signed agreements with launch service providers and engaged in a first international partnership.
In July 2024, Malaysia’s Angkasa‑X signed a multi-year collaboration with Cangyu and ADASpace to build a satellite constellation, ground stations and an AI data center, backed by a $100 million commitment.
Angkasa-X has received approval from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and the International Telecommunication Union for a constellation of 500 LEO satellites, according to The Edge Malaysia.
Cangyu announced strategic cooperation agreements and letters of intent with three Chinese commercial launch companies in June 2024. These are CAS Space, Galactic Energy and Nayuta Space. The agreements were reached variously between August 2023 and March 2024.
