Since the first Starlink satellites were launched in 2019, SpaceX has already placed more than 3,600 of them in low Earth orbit, with plans to reach 42,000 pieces of equipment, forming a gigantic megaconstellation to cover an extensive internet bandwidth network. wide across the world. China, however, appears to be unwilling to let that happen.
Summary:
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- SpaceX dominates low Earth orbit with its more than 3,600 Starlink broadband internet satellites;
- The company’s goal is to reach 42,000 Starlink spacecraft in orbit;
- To compete with Elon Musk, China is developing its own network;
- The China SatNet satellites will also be equipped with resources to take down the rival’s equipment.
Chinese researchers are planning to launch their own fleet of broadband internet satellites, aiming to compete with the service offered by SpaceX.
Although the proposed megaconstellation has no set launch date, it is already known that it will consist of 12,992 satellites that would not only be intended to provide broadband internet signal, but would also be equipped with technologies to take down Starlink satellites.
According to the website New Spacewhich specializes in commercial satellite constellations, China Satellite Network Group will take ownership of the constellation, which may be called Guo Wang, GW, China SatNet or China Satellite Network.
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China wants to prevent SpaceX from “overloading” Earth’s orbit
According to Xu Can, a researcher at the Space Engineering University of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who is leading the system deployment studies, the goal is for the GW network to be deployed before the Starlink constellation is completed.
An article describing the research, published this month in the journal Command and Control Simulation, says a quick deployment of the Chinese constellation could prevent SpaceX from “overloading” Earth’s orbit.
Researchers are also concerned that SpaceX may choose to arm its satellite constellation. Because of this suspicion, in addition to providing internet services, the fleet of satellites proposed by China could spy on its rival and even disable Starlink satellites.
“Starlink satellites can use their orbital maneuverability to actively hit and destroy nearby targets in space,” the researchers told the South China Morning Post. Xu added that the Chinese effort “would ensure that the country has a place in orbit and prevent the Starlink constellation from overly anticipating low orbit capabilities.”
As China SatNet, Starlink and the UK’s OneWeb vie for dominance in low Earth orbit, astronomers around the world may be justifiably concerned about how much glare these satellites can cause, hampering space observations.
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