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Geely has launched 11 satellites into low Earth orbit, its second launch with the aim of expanding its ability to provide more accurate navigation for autonomous vehicles. The satellites were launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan on Saturday. Geely said it expects to have 72 satellites in orbit by 2025 and eventually plans to have a constellation of 240. The first launch was in June 2022. As well as providing high-precision positioning support to self-driving cars , Geely said its satellite network will also serve other commercial functions, such as connectivity to the consumer electronics industry.
The satellites have remote sensing and artificial intelligence functions, and are capable of providing high-resolution images of 1-5 meters, the company explained. China’s satellite networks are dominated by the military, but the government began allowing private investment in the country’s space industry in 2014. In its latest five-year plan for 2021-2025, Beijing called for an integrated network of communications satellites, remote sensing and navigation. China currently has more than 400 satellites deployed in space, including commercially owned ones, according to state media.