Space ‘Macau Science 2’ set for launch in 2027

The “Macau Science 2” satellite project is set to be completed and launched by the end of 2027.

The plan was revealed yesterday by Zhang Keke, director of the State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences at the Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST).

The satellite project represents the first collaborative scientific and technological experimental satellite developed by mainland China and Macau.

Notably, it is also the world’s first scientific detection satellite designed to monitor the geomagnetic field and space environment in the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) region.

“At that time, the ‘Macau Science 1’ and ‘Macau Science 2’ satellites will together create the world’s first ideal constellation of polar-orbit and low-inclination satellites. This will establish a groundbreaking three-dimensional observation system for high-precision monitoring of the Earth’s magnetic field and space environment,” Zhang said.

With all four satellites in the constellation operating simultaneously, they will enhance scientific research outcomes, significantly contribute to global scientific applications, and foster the diversification of Macau’s technology industry.

Since its launch on May 21, 2023, “Macau Science 1” has completed over 10,000 orbits around Earth, generating nearly 20 TB of high-precision scientific data. The satellite is expected to have a lifespan of five to 10 years in space.

By the end of last year, the scientific team behind “Macau Science 1” unveiled China’s first Macau World Geomagnetic Field Model: Real-Time Four-Dimensional Geomagnetic Field Series Model Version 1.0.

This innovative model is expected to be invaluable for research related to Earth’s deep interior, oceans, and space, and will also support applications in aerospace navigation, resource exploration, and smart devices.