China's first reusable test satellite delivers returned payloads to international users

A Long March-2D rocket carrying China's first reusable and returnable test satellite, the Shijian-19, blasts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China, on September 27, 2024. (Photo: Xinhua News Agency)

The delivery ceremony for the payloads of the Shijian-19, China's first reusable and returnable test satellite, was hosted on Thursday in Beijing by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), which marks the successful completion of the satellite project's return mission.

The CNSA, along with domestic primary users and international rideshare users such as Thailand and Pakistan, signed the payload delivery certificates. China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) signed the payload delivery certificates with representatives from domestic commercial rideshare users.

The delivered payloads included staple food crops, economic crops, microbial aerospace breeding materials, and space technology experiment payloads among 20 major categories, CNSA told the Global Times.

Shijian-19 has carried payloads from five countries, including Thailand and Pakistan, fostering extensive international cooperation, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

It took full advantage of the new generation returnable space experiment platform with its "short breeding cycle and high payload efficiency," successfully completing nearly 1,000 space breeding experiments for germplasm resources. This provided significant support for innovations in China's germplasm resources, the CNSA stated.

Shijian-19 also offered valuable in-orbit validation opportunities for domestically produced components and raw materials, further solidifying the foundation for the independent innovation and sustainable development of China's aerospace technology.

According to the Xinhua News Agency, the Shijian-19 satellite, China's first reusable and returnable test satellite, was sent into orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China on September 27, and was successfully retrieved at the Dongfeng landing site in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on October 11.

The Shijian-19 satellite has realized a number of technological breakthroughs, and will significantly enhance the technical level and application efficiency of China's returnable satellites, the Xinhua News Agency added.