China is preparing to launch the Palapa-N1 telecommunications satellite for Indonesia from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China´s Sichuan Province.
The satellite was developed under a contract signed between the Great Wall of China Industrial Corporation of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) and the Indonesian company Palapa Satellite Nusantara Sejatira in May 2017.
The satellite was built on the improved Dongfanghong-4 platform for satellite communications by the Chinese Academy of Space Technology (Cast), and will be launched on a Long March-3B carrier rocket developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.
The satellite will provide communication and broadcasting services to Indonesia and other countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.
The development team is making efforts to carry out the mission amid the new Coronavirus pandemic conditions.
In addition, a series of Chinese space projects are going well. For example, a test version of the new-generation manned Chinese spaceship was tested at Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan Province, southern China. The unmanned experimental spacecraft is expected to be launched from mid to late April on the first flight of the Long March-5B carrier rocket.
