Tianlian II-01 Satellite Overview

Tianlian II-01 is a Chinese second-generation geostationary data relay satellite, forming part of the advanced Tianlian II (Space Relay) network. It is operated by the China Satellite Launch and Tracking Control General (CLTC) and was launched on March 31, 2019, aboard a Long March 3B (CZ-3B) rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.

Developed by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) and based on an enhanced DFH-4 satellite platform, the satellite represents a major upgrade over the first-generation Tianlian I satellites. It provides high-speed data relay, telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C) services for spacecraft operating in low Earth orbit (LEO).

The satellite supports a wide range of missions, including:

• The Tiangong space station
• Shenzhou crewed missions
• Tianzhou cargo spacecraft
• Various Earth observation and scientific satellites

Operating in geostationary orbit (GEO), Tianlian II-01 enables near-continuous communication coverage, significantly improving data transmission rates, reliability, and mission efficiency.

As the first satellite in the Tianlian II series, Tianlian II-01 plays a key role in modernizing China’s space-based relay communication infrastructure, offering higher capacity and improved performance compared to earlier systems, and supporting the country’s growing human spaceflight and satellite operations.