China successfully launches AlSat-3B, the second Algerian remote sensing satellite, enhancing bilateral cooperation in space technology and supporting Algeria’s land management and disaster mitigation efforts.
On 31 January 2026, China successfully launched the AlSat-3B satellite for Algeria from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The satellite was deployed into its planned orbit at 12:01 p.m. Beijing Time aboard a Long March-2C carrier rocket.
Developed by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), AlSat-3B is the second of two Chinese-made remote sensing satellites delivered to Algeria under a contract signed in July 2023 between China Great Wall Industry Corporation and the Algerian Space Agency. Its primary applications include land-use planning, environmental monitoring, and disaster prevention and mitigation.
This launch follows the deployment of AlSat-3A on 15 January 2026, marking a significant advancement in China-Algeria space cooperation. Both satellites are part of the second Algeria-China Strategic Cooperation Plan (2022–2026), which emphasizes collaboration in aerospace among other sectors.
The Long March-2C rocket, manufactured by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, is designed for missions to low Earth and sun-synchronous orbits. Standing 43 meters tall with a liftoff weight of 242.5 metric tons, it has a payload capacity of up to 3,850 kilograms to low Earth orbit.
The successful launch of AlSat-3B represents the 629th mission of China’s Long March rocket series and the ninth Chinese rocket flight in 2026.
SOUCE AND IMAGE: CASC
