Bradley Perrett covered China, Japan, South Korea and Australia. He is a Mandarin-speaking Australian.
Before joining Aviation Week in 2006 he was a macroeconomics, politics and aerospace journalist with Reuters. Perrett holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Macquarie University, Sydney. He left Aviation Week in 2020.
BEIJING — Chinese spacecraft builder CAST aims to develop a larger satellite bus matched to the throw weight of the Long March 5 rocket under development by sister company CALT. The bus will have a mass of 6.5-7 tons, be able to carry a payload of 1.2-1.5 tons and supply 15-20 kw. of electrical power, CAST President Yang Baohua says. The design life will be 15 years and the designation DFH-5.
BEIJING — The small-satellite subsidiary of Chinese spacecraft maker the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) expects to sign its first foreign sale by the end of next year. The company, DFH Satellite Co., can make 10 satellites a year and will launch that many next year, says Director General Ge Yujun. That will mark a significant acceleration in its activity. Since its founding in 2001, DFH Satellite has developed 21 spacecraft, 17 of which remain in orbit.
BEIJING — China Satcom will favor fellow subsidiaries of national space contractor China Aerospace Corp. (CASC) as it places contracts to enlarge its satellite fleet over the next five years. Declaring an interest in developing L- and S-band technology, the company appears to be aiming to offer global communications services, probably eyeing Chinese state companies as early customers.
