Smart Dragon 3 | Geely Constellation Group 04

Smart Dragon 3 Launches Geely's Constellation Group 04: Advancing Automotive and Oceanic Tech from Orbit

On August 8, 2025, China's space sector marked another milestone with the successful launch of the Smart Dragon 3 rocket, carrying the Geely Constellation Group 04 mission. This flight deployed 11 low Earth orbit (LEO) communications satellites, primarily aimed at supporting Geely Automotive's ambitious push into connected and autonomous vehicle technologies. The mission underscores the growing intersection of automotive innovation and satellite infrastructure, while also incorporating secondary payloads for ocean observation.

At the heart of the mission are its objectives to enhance inter-vehicle communication and autonomous driving services. Geely, a major Chinese car manufacturer, is building a satellite constellation to provide real-time data links for vehicles, enabling features like vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) messaging, traffic optimization, and over-the-air updates. These satellites operate in LEO, offering low-latency connectivity crucial for time-sensitive applications in autonomous driving. Each satellite boasts advanced capabilities, including high-throughput Ka-band transponders for broadband data transmission and integrated sensors for precise positioning. Beyond automotive uses, the payloads include ocean observation instruments that monitor sea surface temperatures, wave patterns, and marine pollution. This dual-purpose design maximizes mission efficiency, allowing Geely to test commercial services while contributing to environmental monitoring—potentially aiding climate research and maritime safety.

The Smart Dragon 3 rocket, developed by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), represents a compact and cost-effective launch solution. Standing about 31 meters tall with a diameter of 3.35 meters, it features a solid-propellant design across three stages, enabling rapid assembly and deployment. Its payload capacity reaches up to 1,500 kilograms to sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) or 1,000 kilograms to LEO, making it ideal for small-to-medium satellite constellations. Technical highlights include a high-thrust first stage with composite materials for weight reduction and an advanced guidance system that ensures precise orbital insertion. This launch marked the rocket's fourth flight, building on its debut in December 2022, which demonstrated reliability in delivering multiple payloads with minimal ground infrastructure.

Performance history of the Smart Dragon 3 has been impressive, with a 100% success rate across its initial missions. Early flights focused on technology demonstrations, such as deploying experimental satellites for remote sensing and communications. The rocket's sea-launch capability—often from mobile platforms in the Yellow Sea—adds flexibility, reducing the