Reports from international satellite tracking organizations

China Aims to Surpass Starlink with 51,300 Satellites, Eyes Reusable Rockets

Oct 11, 2024, 06:37 AM

China is making significant strides to compete with Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service. Beijing has applied to the International Telecommunication Union for spectrum allocation for 51,300 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, surpassing SpaceX's target of 42,000 satellites. Currently, Starlink operates around 6,000 satellites and plans to expand to 40,000. In contrast, Chinese companies like Qianfan have only 18 satellites but aim to increase this number to 600 within a year and reach 42,000 by 2030. Experts express concerns that China's ambitions could lead to the export of its restrictive online governance model, potentially creating a 'Great Firewall' in orbit. Beijing is also exploring reusable rockets to enhance its satellite deployment capabilities.