China expedites its satellite network expansion, potentially challenging SpaceX's Starlink project.
China's Qianfan Satellite Constellation: A New Player in the Global Broadband Race
China's Qianfan satellite constellation is making significant strides in the race for global broadband internet, with ambitions that set it apart from SpaceX's Starlink network. This state-driven, multi-entity Chinese program aims to achieve large-scale space-based broadband and integrated 6G tech infrastructure, backed by the Chinese government.
The Qianfan constellation's deployment is progressing, albeit somewhat behind schedule. As of mid-2025, over 90 satellites have been launched, with plans to eventually deploy around 14,000 satellites. This includes the 12,992 satellites of the GW constellation. The launch of the eighth batch of satellites took place last Wednesday, powered by the Long March 5B rocket, China's most powerful rocket for low orbit.
The Qianfan constellation consists of multiple sub-constellations, such as GW-A59 at a lower orbit for broadband and GW-A2 at a higher altitude for global coverage. This layered structure reflects China's strategic plans to integrate the constellation with 6G networks, positioning Qianfan as part of China’s strategic tech infrastructure.
However, Qianfan's launch cadence faces capacity constraints compared to SpaceX’s private-sector-led Starlink. SpaceX's rapid global coverage build-out is enabled by its reusable Falcon 9 rockets, allowing for a high launch cadence and cost efficiencies.
The Qianfan constellation has experienced some challenges. Of the first 90 satellites launched, 13 exhibited anomalies and failed to properly position themselves in orbit, representing a 14% failure rate. This is well above the current 0.5% failure rate of Starlink, although similar to its early years.
Despite these challenges, the Qianfan constellation aims to reach 648 satellites by the end of 2025 and scale up to 1,296 satellites in 2027. By 2030, the constellation plans to have 15,000 satellites in orbit.
The rapid development of terrestrial infrastructure, control stations, user terminals, complementary fiber networks, and mechanisms for managing space traffic is required to maintain strategic momentum for launching tens of thousands of satellites. This development is not just about providing internet from the sky, but also about defining power in the 21st century, as control of space becomes the new digital frontier.
Satellites have become instruments of soft power, diplomacy, and narrative control. Each new launch by China sends a clear message: the sky is no longer a neutral place, but the next global playing field. The Qianfan constellation is in direct competition with SpaceX's Starlink network, reflecting the strategic priorities of their respective countries.
China seeks to build its own network and offer it to allied or strategic countries as part of its Digital Silk Road Initiative, expanding its technological influence in regions where internet access remains limited. On the other hand, Starlink operates under FCC licensing with regulatory obligations in the US and other nations, its global satellite internet service additionally serving strategic US and allied interests.
In summary, the Qianfan constellation, while facing some challenges, is a significant step forward in China's quest for global broadband and integrated 6G tech infrastructure. Its development reflects China’s national space ambitions and domestic industrial dynamics compared to SpaceX’s mature global commercial operations. The race for the sky is on, and the stakes are high.
- The Qianfan satellite constellation, with its integration of large-scale space-based broadband and 6G tech infrastructure, showcases China's ambitious ventures in the realm of science, space-and-astronomy, and technology.
- As China's Qianfan constellation competes with the private-sector-led Starlink network, its progress underscores a pivotal era in the race for global dominance, intertwining geopolitics, technology, and the final frontier: space.
