China pushes for second 12,000-satellite megaconstellation to challenge SpaceX dominance

China is making strides in its efforts to create a second megaconstellation of satellites, known as G60 Starlink, designed to provide widespread broadband internet access and compete with SpaceX's renowned Starlink programme, South China Morning Post reported. G60 Starlink, supported by the Shanghai municipal government, is projected to encompass over 12,000 satellites positioned in low Earth orbit. This endeavour closely resembles another Chinese constellation named Guo Wang, often referred to as China's response to Starlink. It consists of approximately 13,000 satellites and is presently in development by the state-owned Guo Wang company.

Progress in satellite production

Recently, a delegation led by Cheng Xiangmin, the party secretary of Shanghai's Songjiang district, conducted an inspection of a newly established facility in western Shanghai.

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This facility is dedicated to the large-scale manufacturing of G60 satellites.

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During their visit, they engaged with industrial partners involved in the G60 Starlink project, including Shanghai Alliance Investment and Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology, to gain insights into their advancements.

“Paying close attention to the construction goals and timeline of the G60 Starlink project, we have worked hard to roll out investment and help boost technology transfer in the sector,” a representative from Shanghai Alliance Investment said.

Project milestones

In July, Cheng announced that experimental satellites had already been launched and successfully interconnected in space. The project's initial phase is aimed to deploy nearly 1,300 satellites into orbit.

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The G60 Starlink initiative is part of the G60 Science and Technology Innovation Corridor initiative, initially proposed by the Songjiang government in 2016.

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This larger endeavor is focused on promoting technological innovation enterprises and advanced manufacturing industries along the G60 expressway, which spans over 2,360 kilometers (1,470 miles) and connects Shanghai to the southwestern city of Kunming.

Competition in the satellite internet space

SpaceX faces competition from other satellite internet providers, including OneWeb, the world's second-largest provider with over 600 satellites in orbit, Blue Origin's Project Kuiper, and the European Union's IRIS² constellation. SpaceX recently announced that it has amassed 2 million active customers across more than 60 countries for its space-based internet broadband service.

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