- China is building a network of satellites to be able to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink
- Geopolitical factors may have pushed the country to fast-track its efforts to deploy a network of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites
- China is targeting to have around 15,000 satellites by 2030
A Chinese Government entity, Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST), is likely to soon launch its first batch of satellites to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink, according to media reports. The launch will mark a crucial milestone for China in its race with the U.S. to dominate the strategically important satellite-based communication segment.
The launch is likely to take place at Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, one of China’s key satellite launch centers, located in Shanxi. This is part of the Chinese Government’s G60 Starlink Plan, also known as the Thousand Sails Constellation plan, that aims to deploy 15,000 LEO satellites to provide connectivity across the country.
China aims to deploy 648 satellites for regional coverage by 2025, an additional 648 satellites for global coverage by the end of 2027 and 15,000 by 2030 in the final phase. As per The China Space Monitor newsletter, SST was provided funding of $1 billion by the Shanghai Government for the G60 initiative.
LEO satellites typically operate at altitudes of around 2,000 km from the Earth's surface and are known to be more cost-efficient and easier to manage than traditional Geostationary Equatorial Orbit (GEO) satellites. Led by billionaire Elon Musk, Starlink has around 5,500 LEO satellites, which are used by consumers and enterprises.
Growing need for self-reliance
The US and China are vying to have greater control over the developing satellite-based communications space. Significantly, Starlink is also being used by Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. The US is supporting Ukraine in its military fight with Russia, which has possibly accelerated China’s efforts to have its own satellite-based network.
“Starlink accounts for >50% of all satellites on orbit today. Add to that the fact that Starlink is being used by militaries in Ukraine, Sudan, and other conflict regions, and you have yourself a geopolitically important megaproject. And it’s no surprise that China wants their own,” said the China Space Monitor newsletter.
As per media reports, there has been a growing concern in the Chinese Government regarding the role of Starlink in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. “The excellent performance of `Starlink’ satellites in this Russian-Ukrainian conflict will certainly prompt the US and Western countries to use `Starlink’ extensively in possible hostilities in Asia,” noted one of the articles written by researchers of People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
Earlier, China had built its own global navigation system, Beidou, so it does not have to depend on the US Government’s Global Positioning System (GPS), extensively used across the world. It also ensures that the Chinese military will not have to use GPS in case of a conflict with the US.
Building its own network of satellites is also part of the country’s efforts to become self-reliant, especially so in new and emerging technologies. In addition, the G60 initiative is important for the country to be seen as a technology leader and innovator.