A Chinese state-backed company has launched its first 18 satellites in a bid to build a vast orbital network aimed at rivaling Elon Musk’s Starlink. The launch, conducted by Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology, took place on Monday and involved a single rocket lifting off from the Taiyuan satellite and missile launch center in Shanxi province, according to local media reports from The China Securities Journal, which is run by state news agency Xinhua.
These satellites are the initial steps in the company’s ambitious plan to create a 15,000-strong network of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, dubbed the “Thousand Sails Constellation.” The company aims to complete this network by 2030. Domestic media has widely referred to the project as the Chinese equivalent of Starlink, which currently operates around 6,000 satellites with plans to eventually deploy a total of 42,000.
The Thousand Sails Constellation, also known as the G60 project, is one of three major satellite networks planned in China, each expected to field 10,000 or more satellites. These constellations will predominantly orbit between 200 and 1,200 miles above Earth, similar to the altitude of Starlink satellites.
The development of these satellite networks is part of a broader push by the Chinese government to integrate the private sector into its science and technology initiatives. This strategy aims to make China more self-reliant in critical technologies and infrastructure, thereby reducing potential vulnerabilities to foreign influence or conflict. Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology, backed by the Shanghai municipal government, has also secured funding from private investors and state-owned enterprises for its Thousand Sails Constellation.
The other two planned constellations will add another 23,000 Chinese satellites to provide internet services. China SpaceSat, a contractor owned by a state-run enterprise, plans to launch 13,000 satellites as part of its Guowang, or National Network, constellation. Meanwhile, commercial manufacturer Landray Hongqing is developing the Crane-3 constellation, which is expected to deploy 10,000 satellites.
The China Securities Journal has projected that the country’s space industry will be worth $321 billion by 2024. Following Monday’s launch, commercial aerospace stocks surged to their maximum daily price increases, highlighting the significant market interest and optimism surrounding China’s burgeoning space sector. The Shenzhen stock exchange enforces a 10% limit on the daily fluctuation of stock prices, underscoring the dramatic impact of this latest development.
This launch marks a significant milestone in China’s efforts to build a robust and competitive presence in the global satellite internet industry, further intensifying the race for space-based connectivity solutions.