At 00:38 Beijing Time on March 12, 2025, China successfully launched 18 satellites of the fifth batch for the Spacesail ConstellationQianfan Constellation using a Long March-8 Y6 carrier rocket from Launch Pad 1 at the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site. All satellites have entered their predetermined orbits, marking the complete success of the mission.

Launch of the fifth batch of satellites of the Spacesail ConstellationThousand Sails constellation (Image by Xinhua New Media)

The Shenyang Institute of Automation (SIA) ,Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) developed both the deployment mechanisms and sun-tracking drive mechanisms for the stackable flexible solar wings equipped on these 18 satellites.

The stackable flexible solar wingsThese products feature significant advantages including high folding-unfolding ratio, lightweight yet high-stiffness construction, compact envelope, smooth rotation stability, and reliable solar tracking capabilities.

Data received by the Qianfan gGround cControl cCenter of the mission confirms that, all 18 satellites' solar wings have achieved full deployment, demonstrated excellent orientation and tracking performance, and maintained normal orbital operations. This marks the stacked flexible solar wing unfolding technology has been successfully verified in orbit again.

Since undertaking the development of solar wing deployment mechanisms and sun-tracking drives for the Spacesail Qianfan ConstellationQianfan constellation satellites, SIA researchers have devoted to improving technoliges while has overcome numerous technical challenges while significantly enhancing production capacity to meet short-cycle delivery requirements. Achieving a 100% qualification rate for in-orbit operations, this accomplishment lays a solid foundation for subsequent mass production of high-quality, high-reliability aerospace components.