China to create new constellation of 12,992 Guowang satellites to compete with Starlink

© SW1994/Pixabay

China wants to have a constellation of satellites capable of rivaling SpaceX’s Starlink constellation. According to our colleagues at Ars Technica, on Monday, the first 10 satellites of the future “megaconstellation” were launched by the Long March 5B rocket. The media outlet explains that this project has been known for years, but China has always been discreet.

We do know, however, that the goal is to have a constellation capable of providing low-latency internet connectivity, like Starlink. And the goal would be to create a constellation of 12,992 satellites. The first 10 Guowang satellites have been placed in an orbit of about 1,100 kilometers above the Earth.

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It should also be noted that this is not the only Chinese constellation project. As we mentioned in a previous article, the Shanghai Yuanxin Satellite Technology Company is also planning to deploy a constellation. And this year, it was able to launch 18 satellites.

Europe is making progress on the issue

Having a constellation in space gives world powers an advantage, and the European Union is also making progress on this issue. This week, the European Commission launched a €10.6 billion project, including €6.5 billion in public funding, to create a constellation called IRIS². It will provide secure connectivity for EU governments, and for businesses and citizens in the European Union. The first launch is planned for 2029, according to the European Space Agency.

“By offering advanced connectivity services to government users and bridging connectivity gaps across the Union, IRIS² strengthens Europe’s strategic autonomy and technological leadership,”, reads a statement from the European Commission.

• China launches first 10 satellites of its Guowang constellation
• The constellation will consist of 12,992 satellites, to compete with Starlink
• The Middle Kingdom has another constellation project, which has already launched its first satellites
• Meanwhile, the European Union is moving forward with the IRIS² project
• This is a €10.6 billion constellation project, including €6.5 billion in public funding, which aims to reduce the EU's dependence on American technologies

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