By Ismail Auwal
China launched “the world’s first 6G test satellite” into the orbit from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in China’s northern Shanxi Province on Friday.
The experimental satellite, containing sixth-generation telecommunications technology and expected to be over 100 times faster than 5G, was launched into space alongside 12 other satellites on board a Long March 6 carrier rocket.
The satellite is also said to contained an optical remote sensing system that can be used to monitor crop disasters, prevent flooding and forest fires.
The technology, which would be used to ascertain the performance of the 6G frequency band in space, was named after the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC).
The institution, which called itself “China’s cradle for the national electronic industry”, confirmed the development on its Twitter page.
“The “#UESTC” satellite (Star Era-12), the first #6G test satellite in the world and first one named after the university since its establishment, was successfully lifted off at Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center and entered the scheduled orbit on the morning of Nov. 6,” it wrote.
The project comes months after conspiracy theorists said 5G is to blame for the rapid spread of COVID-19.
