In a major milestone for China's space program, a Long March-6A carrier rocket successfully launched 18 satellites into their preset orbit on Tuesday, August 7, from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province. This launch marks the 530th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series and signifies a crucial step for China in the global satellite internet field.
Long March-6A blasting off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, north China's Shanxi Province, August 6, 2024. /CFP
The launched satellites are part of the "Thousand Sails Constellation" plan, also referred to as the "G60 Satellite Link" plan, which aims to deploy over 15,000 low Earth orbit satellites has been under development by China’s SSST (Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology) since 2021. The project, led by Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology, seeks to provide extensive and high-quality communication services and broadband internet services to Chinese users.
The "Thousand Sails Constellation" is designed to be an extension of the ground internet, enabling connectivity during emergencies like geological disasters and paving the way for a new, interconnected future. The satellites will play a vital role in China's global broadband network, similar to SpaceX's Starlink.
China's launch comes amid growing concerns about the potential threats to national security posed by Starlink's constellation. The Chinese People's Liberation Army has speculated that Starlink's satellites could be used to track hypersonic missiles, enhance drone and stealth fighter jet communications, and even destroy Chinese satellites.
In response, China is accelerating its satellite launch plans, aiming to launch 108 satellites for its new constellation this year and reaching a total of 15,000 satellites in orbit by 2030.
Thousand Sails is not the only Chinese project to create an analog of Starlink. A second similar project called Guowang (SatNet) is being implemented by China Satellite Network Group. When fully deployed, this constellation will consist of 13,000 satellites. However, information about this project is extremely rare. It is only known that the first batch of satellites is to be launched in the coming months. The Thousand Sails project is a key component of China's efforts to establish a robust satellite internet network and mitigate the risks associated with Starlink's capabilities.
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