China launches its own satellite constellation as a competitor to SpaceX

China has taken a significant step towards establishing its own global internet network. On Monday, the state-owned enterprise Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST) launched the first batch of satellites for the "Thousand Sails Constellation" project. This ambitious endeavor aims to rival SpaceX's Starlink, which currently operates approximately 5,500 satellites in orbit. The competition to occupy lower Earth orbits has commercial as well as military implications and could affect the balance of power among nations. The satellites were launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province. The "Thousand Sails Constellation" project, also known as the "G60 Starlink Plan," began last year and plans to launch more than 15,000 low Earth orbit satellites. These low Earth orbit satellites typically operate at altitudes ranging from 300 to 2,000 kilometers and offer more cost-effective and efficient transmissions than satellites in higher orbits. Starlink, operated by Elon Musk, currently has tens of thousands of users in the USA and plans to further expand the largest satellite system of its kind. Researchers from China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) have investigated the use of Starlink in the Ukraine conflict over the past two years and have repeatedly warned about the risks it poses to China in a military conflict with the USA. In an opinion article published by the PLA in January, the use of Starlink was described as a “serious threat to the security of space resources of various countries.” The "Thousand Sails Constellation" from SSST is one of three Chinese projects aiming to catch up with SpaceX. SSST plans to launch 108 satellites this year, with the total increasing to 648 by the end of 2025. Global network coverage is planned for 2027, and by 2030, 15,000 satellites are expected to be operational. SSST has not provided a statement regarding this report.