Tianlian 3-01

Tianlian 3-01 launched on a China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 7A from 201, Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China on July 29, 2026 at 11:50 UTC. The launch window ran from 11:42 to 13:39 UTC. It was China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 606th launch, 36th this year and humanity's 7,351st orbital launch attempt. It was the 17th Long March 7A flight and the 3rd this year. The payload was bound for Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). It reached a 220 × 35,795 km orbit inclined 15.4°.

Tianlian is a Chinese data tracking and relay communications geostationary satellite series. The TL-3 (Tian Lian 3) satellites are the 3rd generation of China's geostationary orbit data relay satellites, based on the DFH-4E geostationary satellite bus. They will be used to support real-time communications between orbiting satellites/rockets in-flight and ground control stations. This system replaces/supplements the current network of ground-based space tracking and telemetry stations and space tracking ships.