Representattional image of a container port magical_light/iStock
Chinese scientists have allegedly developed a new satellite network to track hundreds of millions of shipping containers worldwide. This technology, it is reported, could prove to be a big leap forward in monitoring global supply chains.
The new system revolves around the Tiantuo-5 satellite, a compact 175 lb (80 kg) spacecraft first launched into orbit in 2020 using a Long March 2D rocket. Tiantuo-5 was developed to test and verify data collection technologies for ships, aircraft, buoys with the help of Internet of Things (IoT).
The satellite was developed by China’s National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) in Changsha. The name Tiantuo roughly translates to “breaking new ground with the power of heaven.”
Trials of the technology demonstrated the satellite’s ability to collect real-time data from IoT sensors installed on cargo containers. Researchers claim this enables the system to track cargo movements globally in real time.
Tracking cargo from space
According to a study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of NUDT last month, the satellite can monitor location, internal conditions, and tamper alerts. This will include controlled products like aerospace engines and military drone components for countries like the United States.
“This isn’t just about catching smugglers,” said a Beijing-based logistics expert who requested anonymity in a statement to South China Morning Post. “It’s about creating a system to enforce our rules and break the chains imposed on developing nations for over a century. This is a space-based technology revolution,” they added.
The new system consists of 66 low-cost nanosatellites, each smaller than a refrigerator. The researchers behind it note that one of the key innovations is a hybrid network that differentiates between slower-moving ‘static’ sensors—such as those on containers in port—and sensors on fast-moving cargo.
The research team claims the signal interference ensures smooth data transmission. The team also adapted techniques traditionally used for missile-tracking systems to process data at a rate 10 times faster than commercial satellite networks.
Washington concerned
The planned satellite network is believed to strengthen China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by integrating global infrastructure projects with data-driven logistics oversight. Scientists behind the system also claim that it could assist countries in combating piracy, illegal trade, and drug trafficking.
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During trials, the team reported that the satellite picked up and analyzed over one million data transmissions from ships worldwide in a single day, proving its effectiveness in global cargo surveillance.
China has asserted that the new satellite system is intended only for peaceful cargo monitoring. However, the announcement has raised concerns, especially in Washington. Notably, the U.S. has banned Chinese-manufactured port equipment, including cranes, fearing they might collect and transmit sensitive data back to China.
If China successfully deploys all 66 planned satellites using its Long March rocket fleet, it would establish the first large-scale IoT network capable of simultaneously tracking hundreds of millions of cargo containers.
