China to launch 24 satellites to detect gravity wave electromagnetic counterpart

China plans to launch 24 microsatellites to make up a constellation to detect the electromagnetic counterpart of gravitational waves.

The Long March-5 Y2 carrier rocket [File Photo: Chinanews.com]

Tian'ge Program, or the Grid Program, will be carried out by Tsinghua Center for Astrophysics and commercial space company Spacety, according to media reports.

As gravitational waves are hard to generate, the program aims to detect the electromagnetic counterpart of the waves in the gamma ray spectrum.

The research and development of the first technical experimental satellite is expected to be completed by the end of this year, said Spacety CEO Yang Feng.

It will be sent into orbit in 2018 and all 24 microsatellites will be launched before 2023, added Yang.