China Unveils New Orbital Network to Compete with Starlink
A Chinese state-owned company has started building a huge orbital network similar to Starlink by launching its first batch of 18 satellites.
The launch took place on Monday at the Taiyuan satellite and missile launch center in Shanxi province. The 18 satellites are the first step in the company’s plan to create a network of 15,000 Low Earth Orbit satellites, called the “Thousand Sails Constellation,” which is expected to be completed by 2030.
This project is often compared to SpaceX’s Starlink network, which currently has around 6,000 satellites. Elon Musk aims to expand Starlink to 42,000 satellites in the future.
The Thousand Sails Constellation, also known as the G60 project, is one of three planned large-scale satellite networks in China. Each network will have at least 10,000 satellites, most of which will operate in Low Earth Orbit, between 200 and 1,200 miles above Earth.
China’s recent space initiatives, including these large satellite networks, are part of a broader effort to boost the nation’s science and technology by involving the private sector.
