China's first all-electric telecom satellite, APSTAR-6E, initiated operational services in Southeast Asia on January 13, 2023.

China's first all-electric telecom satellite, APSTAR-6E, has begun operational services, providing cost-effective, high-throughput broadband communication services for Southeast Asia. Developed by CASC, the satellite is the world's first to autonomously transfer from low Earth orbit to geostationary orbit. Launched on January 13, 2023, it has a 15-year lifespan and is based on the DFH-3E satellite platform.