If you take a peek at the night sky, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll see a bunch of fast-moving bright dots up there – the newly launched Starlink satellites. But get ready, because soon you might also be spotting spacecraft from Chinese projects trying to build their own version of the Starlink satellite internet network in low Earth orbit. China has already launched over 100 satellites since August as part of two mega-constellations that aim to have a whopping 28,000 satellites between them once they’re all up there.
The two Chinese projects are officially known as Guowang and Qianfan, but don’t be surprised if you hear a bunch of other names thrown around in English due to their corporate structures and language differences. Guowang, also known as Xingwang or SatNet, is mostly focused on domestic telecommunications and national security applications. Qianfan, on the other hand, also known as Spacesail or SSST, is more focused on providing services to foreign telecom companies. So far, Qianfan has already signed deals with countries like Brazil, Malaysia, and Thailand, and they’re eyeing even more markets in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Compared to Starlink, which has over 7,000 satellites in operation, China is definitely playing catch-up. But Guowang and Qianfan are just two of many competitors around the world who are ramping up their satellite operations, giving Starlink a run for its money. And with Elon Musk’s growing involvement in US politics, SpaceX (Starlink’s parent company) is facing increasing reputational and security risks globally. Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, predicts that 2025 will be the year when other players start making big moves in the satellite internet game, challenging Starlink’s dominance.
Not really sure why this matters, but as Guowang and Qianfan launch their first satellites, they’re running into some issues. They’re dealing with a higher number of faulty satellites compared to SpaceX, bureaucratic red tape, and limited rocket launch capacity. If they don’t get enough satellites up there soon, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) might ask them to scale back their mega-constellation plans. Guowang and Qianfan didn’t respond to requests for comments, and SpaceX also remained silent.
Faulty Satellites Galore! Qianfan has launched 90 satellites for providing broadband internet services, while Guowang has launched 29. Guowang has also sent around a dozen experimental satellites into space since 2023, but they haven’t been very transparent about their purpose, and it seems like they’re not counting them in their official constellation numbers. Qianfan seems to be ahead, but they’re facing a big problem – a high rate of potential faulty satellites compared to similar projects. While Starlink is open about its satellite data, the Chinese companies haven’t shared much. Researchers have had to rely on US Space Force data to track the satellites.
Jonathan McDowell notes that out of Qianfan’s 90 satellites, 13 seem to be behaving oddly, not reaching their intended orbit height. The second batch of Qianfan satellites launched in October 2024 saw only 5 out of 18 reaching their planned height. This is a stark contrast to Starlink, which started with a 3% failure rate but has since reduced it to less than 0.5%. OneWeb, a British satellite network, only has two failed satellites stuck in space out of over 600. Qianfan’s second batch of satellites was made by a new supplier, Genesat, which may explain the performance issues. It was Genesat’s first time mass-producing satellites, as stated in a press release during the launch.
The clock is ticking for Guowang and Qianfan as they try to catch up to Starlink. Both projects have ambitious plans, but they need to send satellites into space and meet ITU regulations. Guowang aims for nearly 13,000 satellites, while Qianfan plans for over 15,000. The pressure is on since they have to launch a certain percentage of their satellites by 2026. But compared to Starlink, both projects are moving slowly. Starlink launched its first satellites in 2019 and quickly ramped up its numbers, reaching almost 2,000 satellites in just two years. Guowang, especially, has been slower than expected since registering with the ITU in 2020.
Rocket availability is a major bottleneck for Guowang and Qianfan. While China launches many rockets annually, they have to share them among various projects. Plus, China doesn’t have reusable rockets like SpaceX, which has helped Starlink maintain a fast and cost-effective launch schedule. Qianfan has tried to procure rockets but hasn’t had much luck. Although Chinese companies are working on reusable rockets, they’re not ready yet. This bottleneck could slow down the satellite deployment for Guowang and Qianfan.
Guowang and Qianfan are taking different approaches to the satellite internet market, targeting different regions. Guowang, with strong government support, may focus on national security applications. On the other hand, Qianfan is positioning itself as an international competitor to Starlink. Qianfan is already working in several markets and plans to expand to more countries in the near future. With concerns over Musk’s political influence and Starlink’s business practices, Qianfan may find a foothold in markets where countries want more control over their internet data.
