A Chinese company has successfully launched the first 18 satellites as part of a large-scale satellite network aimed at competing with Elon Musk’s Starlink. This network is expected to comprise a total of 15,000 satellites by 2030.
On Monday, the company Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology made a significant advancement in China’s space strategy by launching 18 satellites from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province. According to information from the China Securities Journal, this event marks the beginning of a project called “Thousand Sails Constellation”, a satellite network that is anticipated to include 15,000 satellites in low Earth orbit.
China aims to complete 15,000 satellites by 2030.
This network is designed to directly compete with Starlink, a satellite project by Elon Musk that currently operates around 6,000 satellites. While Starlink has ambitions to expand to 42,000 satellites, China is focused on completing 15,000 satellites by 2030. This project is also referred to as G60, part of China’s plan to develop three major satellite networks. Each of these networks is expected to place at least 10,000 satellites into orbit.
According to forecasts, these satellites will be deployed at altitudes ranging from 200 to 1,200 miles above the Earth’s surface, similar to the altitude at which Starlink satellites operate. This development not only showcases China’s ambitions in space but also reflects the country’s current trends. Beijing is striving to create autonomous technologies and infrastructure to minimize dependence on other nations.
The Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology company is supported by the Shanghai municipal government but has also raised capital from private investors and state-owned enterprises to execute this project. Two other satellite networks are expected to add an additional 23,000 Chinese satellites into orbit, with China SpaceSat, a state-owned enterprise, set to provide 13,000 satellites for the Guowang Network (National Network). Additionally, the commercial manufacturer Landray Hongqing is building the Crane-3 network, which is projected to include 10,000 satellites.
According to the China Securities Journal, China’s space industry could reach a value of $321 billion by 2024. Immediately following the launch, shares related to the aerospace sector soared, with maximum gains on the trading day, indicating strong interest and investment in this field.
