China's northern satellite data receiving station begin operations

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) - China's northernmost satellite data receiving station began operations Friday, according to its developer, the Aerospace Information Research Institute.

The station, in the northernmost city of Mohe in Heilongjiang Province, will autonomously receive data from 25 national land observation satellites, said state-run Xinhua news agency.

The Mohe station is capable of a maximum channel downlink data rate of 2 gigabits per second and can transmit received data in real time, it said.

It can also extend the daily receiving time window for polar-orbiting satellites by more than 20% with its high-latitude geographical advantage.

The station, which entered a trial operation phase in October 2023, was able to receive more than 1,600 terabytes of satellite data by the end of November.

The station's addition "further optimizes the spatial distribution of China's satellite ground receiving network," according to the Institute.

Separately, China launched a Long March-12 carrier rocket on Friday, with a group of internet satellites aboard, from the southern island province of Hainan.

The 16th group of low-orbit internet satellites was reported to have entered into preset orbit successfully.