China launches first batch of ‘Starlink rival’ satellites

China is a step closer to establishing its own version of Starlink with the successful launch of 18 “Qianfan” satellites aboard a Long March-6 carrier rocket. The launch took place on Tuesday from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province.

These satellites represent the first instalment of the ambitious Qianfan megaconstellation project, also known as G60. Unveiled in 2023, the project aims to provide comprehensive and high-quality communication services to users across China.

Media reports indicate that G60 envisions a network of over 15,000 low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, capable of delivering multimedia content. This year alone, Qianfan is expected to oversee the launch of 108 satellites.

By the end of 2025, the goal is to achieve regional network coverage with 648 satellites, expanding to global coverage by 2027. By 2030, the constellation is projected to encompass 15,000 satellites—providing a range of services, including direct mobile connections.

While both Qianfan and SpaceX’s Starlink utilise advanced satellite communication technology and multi-layer, multi-orbit constellation designs, there are key distinctions. China’s Qianfan constellation prioritises multimedia functionality and broadband communication capabilities to cater to a variety of user needs.

Currently, Starlink, with approximately 5,500 satellites in orbit, enjoys significant market maturity—serving consumers, businesses, and government agencies globally. Qianfan remains focused on providing high-quality communication services domestically. However, international expansion of the Qianfan constellation is viewed as being in the foreseeable future.

Observers believe the establishment of the Qianfan constellation will be a catalyst for growth across numerous sectors – including mobile innovation, autonomous driving, disaster response, and the Internet of Things – presenting significant opportunities within the satellite internet industry.

LEO satellites hold distinct advantages over their geostationary counterparts in higher orbits, particularly in the field of communication. These advantages include reduced transmission delays, lower link losses, more flexible launch options, diverse application scenarios, and lower overall manufacturing costs.

The global appeal of these advantages is evident in the rush to deploy LEO satellite constellations, marking it as a burgeoning sector.

China alone boasts three megaconstellation projects aiming for a scale of 10,000 satellites: the G60 project, the state-owned China Satellite Network Group’s GW Constellation project, and leading private space firm Landspace’s Honghu-3 Constellation.

The GW Constellation aims to launch a total of 12,992 satellites, while the Honghu-3 has ambitions for 10,000 satellites across 160 orbital planes. In total, the number of satellite applications in China is nearing 40,000.

At the end of June, Amazon once again delayed the launch of its first production satellites for Project Kuiper—the company’s own Starlink rival.

(Photo by engin akyurt)

See also: NATO funds satellite backup for subsea internet cables

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Tags: china, connectivity, constellation, leo, Networks, qianfan, satellites, space, starlink, telecoms