China launches satellites to rival SpaceX’s Starlink, supporting its space ambitions

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China took a major step forward this week in its efforts to create a rival to SpaceX’s Starlink satellite, launching the first of what it hopes will be a constellation of 14,000 satellites that will beam broadband internet from space.

Eighteen satellites were launched into low Earth orbit (LEO) on Tuesday as part of the inaugural launch of the government-backed Qianfan constellation, also known as Space Sail, state media reported.

The constellation – hailed by domestic media as China’s answer to U.S.-based SpaceX’s satellite version of Starlink – is set to join several planned or operational large-scale space projects by providers from different countries offering broadband satellite internet services.

The leader of this group is Starlink, which has over 6,000 satellites in orbit and ambitions to expand this number to 42,000. It is widely expected to remain the dominant player in the coming years, given its lead and advanced launch capabilities.

While most people access the internet via cables and other terrestrial infrastructure, satellite internet has become an important service for rural, under-resourced and disaster-stricken areas. It is also seen as key to emerging technologies such as self-driving cars and other internet-enabled devices—industries in which China wants to lead.

Qianfan, also known as G60 Starlink, is one of three planned Chinese mega constellations that could enable the country’s companies to launch nearly 40,000 satellites into low-Earth orbit (defined as no more than 1,200 miles above the planet) in the coming years. So-called mega constellations refer to networks of hundreds or thousands of orbiting satellites.

The launch comes as China ramps up its commercial space sector as part of Beijing’s broader bid to cement its position as a dominant space power. The country has already made huge strides in its ambitious national space program, which aims to send astronauts to the moon by 2030, as well as launch military-linked satellites for navigation, communications and surveillance.

Experts say control of a constellation of LEO broadband satellites could be a boon for China, allowing Chinese companies to offer services domestically and globally while also bolstering Beijing’s diplomatic influence, control over data flows and national security.

The launch of Qianfan, which is being carried out by Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST) with the support of the Shanghai government, will also be a test of China’s ability to produce and launch satellites on a large scale and in a short time.

According to state broadcaster CCTV, the constellation is set to grow to more than 600 satellites by the end of 2025, and by 2030 it is expected to include more than 14,000 satellites providing broadband internet around the world.

Zhu Xiaochen, deputy director of the project, told CCTV that the number is “enough to cover most population centers.”

China’s investment in broadband mega-constellations comes at a time when governments and companies around the world are increasingly interested in using satellites for everything from communications to military operations.

The war in Ukraine, where access to Starlink has been a key asset for the Ukrainian military, has put broadband LEO satellites in the spotlight due to their security implications.

Chinese researchers have repeatedly raised national security concerns about the SpaceX-operated constellation — including one military scientist who said in January that it had the potential to support U.S. “ground forces” and strike capabilities in “regional conflicts.”

Tomas Hrozensky, a senior researcher at the nonprofit European Space Policy Institute in Vienna, said that while the Qianfan launch is part of Beijing’s broader efforts to bolster its space capabilities and commercial applications, its launch also shows that China “sees the dual-use potential of these capabilities from the perspective of information superiority or data flow control.”

Constellations like Qianfan, once operational, could also bring diplomatic benefits to Beijing, experts say. For example, China could offer access to its internet and communications services as part of deals with governments under the Belt and Road Initiative, a global infrastructure program widely seen as a tool for China to build influence abroad.

The role of Chinese companies in the global telecommunications market has become a sensitive issue in recent years, with the U.S. government raising alarm about alleged security threats to countries using Chinese infrastructure and ground equipment.

Some experts warn that if countries start connecting to the internet via Chinese satellites, there will be concerns.

“As China begins to deploy the G60 and other planned LEO broadband constellations, we will see their telecommunications model extend into space – a model based on surveillance and censorship of information flows,” said Kari Bingen, director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington.

The launch of the Qianfan constellation comes as China’s top leaders signaled that developing the commercial space sector – including satellites, launch capabilities and technology production – is an economic priority.

The 18 satellites sent into orbit this week appear to put Qianfan ahead of two other planned Chinese LEO communications constellations. State-owned China Satellite Network Group’s Guowang constellation project calls for nearly 13,000 satellites, while leading private space company Landspace’s Honghu-3 is planning 10,000, according to information published in state-affiliated media.

Plans for the Qianfan project were announced in 2021 as part of a state-backed technology innovation program in China’s wealthy Yangtze River Delta. Its operating company, Shanghai’s government-backed SSST, raised $933 million earlier this year, Reuters reported in February, citing an investor.

The launch preparations included efforts to streamline satellite production, using an “intelligent satellite manufacturing platform” that Qianfan’s chief designer, Cao Caixia, recently described in an interview with state broadcaster CCTV to speed up production times.

There are likely to be obstacles as SSST and other Chinese companies seek to rapidly scale up their constellations. China is opening its first commercial launch pad this year, even though state media says about half of the satellites launched last year were commercial.

Many Chinese companies are working to improve launch capabilities, but the technologies still lag far behind those used in SpaceX’s Starlink satellites, which are expected to further improve their launch capabilities once the Starship rocket launches.

“Like any space-faring nation, China will undoubtedly face technical and operational challenges,” CSIS’s Bingen said, pointing to the need to establish and scale up satellite production lines and launch rockets on a regular basis.

“But space is a national priority for Beijing, and these commercial entities receive top-down support from the (Chinese Communist Party), ample funding, municipal support and regulatory freedom, so I would expect China to continue its rapid progress in space.”