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Chinais about to launch the first 18 satellites in its bid to contend withElon Musk’sStarlink , a constellation of down in the mouth Earth celestial orbit ( LEO ) internet satellite , a Formosan political science - own intelligence means report .
The satellites will launch from one of China ’s major outer space mission quickness , namely , the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the northern Shanxi state , according to Reuters . The launch was led by government activity - owned Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology troupe as part of its " Thousand Sails Constellation " projection , which aim to create a world-wide broadband internet interchangeable to that offered bySpaceX’sStarlink .
An illustration of a low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite. China is set to launch the first of its LEO satellites in a bid to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink constellation.
SpaceX currently has more than6,200 satellites in LEO , a zone that generally lies up toaround 1,200 miles(2,000 kilometers ) above Earth ’s surface . Starlink satellites typically orbit at a height of around340 miles ( 550 kilometer ) . At these comparatively short distances , data can ping rapidly between the satellites and the planet ; government , mortal and byplay utilise the Starlink artificial satellite configuration for broadband internet .
former internet satellite inspection and repair , meanwhile , trust on single geostationary satellites that orbit at distances nearly 65 time higher above the planet , in " gamey Earth orbit . " Such luxuriously - flying satellites are expensive to set up and the data they transmit takes a while to reach Earth . As a answer , older internet satellites are too ho-hum to expeditiously bear TV , cyclosis , online gaming and other applications that take high data rates , harmonise to Starlink .
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Over the past two twelvemonth , China has become more and more concerned about the potential scourge tonational security stupefy by Starlink ’s configuration . The Chinese People ’s Liberation Army has speculated that , were China to insert into a conflict with the U.S. , Starlink ’s constellation could be used to track hypersonic projectile ; make it more efficient for drones and stealth fighter jet to pass with the primer ; and even put down Chinese satellites , Live Science previously reported . Ukrainian forces haveused Starlink to direct drones against Russian forcesin the ongoing war there .
The Thousand Sails labor is n’t the only direction China is stress to protect itself from Starlink ’s capabilities : Chinese scientist late sketch a design to mountlasers on submarines to destroy Starlink satellites .
The Chinese government has localize a goal of launching 108 artificial satellite for its new configuration this year . By 2030 , it aims to have 15,000 satellites in orbit , Reuters account .
