China begins work of setting up vast network of internet satellites

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.

Starlink exemplifies this type of communication, creating a satellite Wi-fi network that, once operational, allows high-speed, seamless internet access anywhere on the ground.

LEO satellites can also offer quicker communications across oceans compared with undersea cables and are strategically important due to their minimal blind spots and cost-effectiveness in remote areas.

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But given the limited space available in orbit, the global race for LEO satellite resources has intensified.

SpaceX plans to launch 42,000 satellites by 2027, while China has told the International Telecommunication Union it intends to deploy 51,300 satellites.

Besides Qianfan, other large-scale Chinese projects being planned include China Satellite Network Group’s GW constellation, which is expected to launch 12,992 satellites, and Lanjian Aerospace’s Honghu-3 project, which will deploy around 10,000, according to digital blogger Li Yan.

With its early start, the United States currently holds a significant lead in the number of satellites in orbit.

“The future of satellite internet is likely to see fierce competition between the US, China, the European Union and Russia,” said Zhang Rui, a council member of the China Marketing Association.

“These are the only major economies with integrated capabilities in satellite manufacturing, launching, ground equipment and operational services.”

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