Chinese Version Of Starlink’ To Launch 26,000 Aircraft Over 10 Years

China begins the ‘Chinese version of Starlink’ project. The plan is to build an independent communication network by launching more than 26,000 low-orbit communication satellites led by state-owned enterprises.

According to Japan’s Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) on the 10th (local time), the Chinese Satellite Network (Sungmang), invested by the Chinese government, aims to launch its first satellite in the first half of this year and operate more than 26,000 low-orbit satellites over the next 10 years. It is being done. As the Chinese Version Of Starlink ultimately aims to launch about 40,000 satellites, an equivalent level is expected.

Once low-orbit satellites begin operating, high-speed Internet communication will become possible in disaster areas and conflict areas, including mountainous areas and islands where it is difficult to build communication base stations. When combined with an independent location information system ( GPS ), it can also be used for military purposes such as controlling unmanned aerial vehicles or sharing military information.

According to Nikkei, after launching its first satellite in the first half of this year, China’s Shengmang plans to increase the number of satellites launched to 1,300 by 2029 and build a low-orbit communication satellite network by 2035. At the same time, Shanghai Dengxin Satellite Science and Technology, invested by the Shanghai government, is also planning to launch 12,000 low-orbit satellites.

This large-scale construction of low-orbit communication satellites is in line with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s goal of becoming a ‘space power.’ The explanation is that while developing an independent space station or exploring Mars, we are also pursuing a plan for commercial use of artificial satellites. In particular, in the case of Space Previously, China had built Beidou, the Chinese version of GPS, in 2020.