Wei Qiang, chief designer at the space technology academy, said APSTAR-6C is the most technically sophisticated and most powerful satellite in the DFH-4 family. The academy is developing the APSTAR-6D based on an enhanced version of DFH-4 for the Hong Kong operator, he said.

The oldest DFH-4-based communications satellite still operating has been in orbit for more than nine years, said China Great Wall, which added that the reliability and capability of the DFH-4 has been recognized by international satellite operators.

China first delivered a communications satellite to an overseas buyer in 2007 when the NigcomSat-1 was launched and then handed over to Nigeria. Since then, the country has exported communications satellites to nations including Venezuela, Pakistan, Bolivia and Laos.

China has planned at least 40 space missions this year, doubling the number in 2017 and setting a record for the nation.

The most eye-catching will be the third flight of China's largest carrier rocket－Long March 5, whose last mission failed in July－and the Chang'e 4 lunar landing mission to put a robotic probe on the far side of the moon.