China begins work of setting up vast network of internet satellites
- The launch of the first satellites in the Qianfan Constellation sees the start of race to challenge the likes of SpaceX’s Starlink project
China officially started setting up a giant internet satellite constellation by launching the first components of the network on Tuesday afternoon.
The 18 communication satellites entered their designated orbits smoothly after lifting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in Shanxi province, according to state news agency Xinhua.
The Qianfan project, operated by the state-controlled Shanghai Yuanxin Satellite Technology Company, will have three phases of development.
By the end of 2025, it aims to have 648 satellites in orbit to provide regional network coverage, then make its coverage global by 2027. Finally, by 2030, it hopes to operate more than 14,000 satellites to provide multi-service integration directly to mobile devices.
The satellites launched this time were produced by GeneSat in Shanghai. In an interview with the Shanghai Securities News in June, an executive from GeneSat revealed plans to “explore launching configurations of 36 and 54 satellites per rocket to accelerate the pace of launches”.
LEO satellites operate between 160 and 2,000km (100-1,200 miles) above Earth, offering reduced transmission delays and lower link losses compared with geostationary satellites, making them highly suitable for satellite internet services.