Shannon Brandao
Shannon's excerpt from the article: "Nikkei Asia [excerpt]: #China will start building this year its own version of #StarLink, a #satellite internet constellation using low Earth orbit, with plans of launching some 26,000 satellites to cover the entire world led by #military-affiliated companies.
Now that the military use of satellite-based communications systems for warfare in such places as Ukraine and Gaza is increasing, China will set up its own satellite network to compete with the U.S. as a '#space power.'
The construction of a commercial spacecraft launch site for China's StarLink is underway near the Wenchang Space Launch Site, one of the country's spaceports for big rockets, in the southern province of Hainan.
The launch site will be used mainly by the China Satellite Network Group (SatNet), wholly owned by the Chinese government. The group was founded in 2021 after Beijing informed the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) of its plan in 2020 to launch some 13,000 satellites to establish a high-speed internet network.
SatNet will launch about 1,300 satellites, or 10% of the planned number, from the first half of 2024 until 2029, according to Chinese media. This is hoped to pave the way for liftoff by 2034 to establish a network supporting high-speed #6G communications.
Top executives of the group come from state-owned, military-industrial complex enterprises linked to China's People's Liberation Army. For example, the chairman is from China Electronics Corp., which is in charge of information technology for military use, while the president is from China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC), which develops rockets and other items.
Under the leadership of President #XiJinping, China plans to become a space power comparable with the U.S. by around 2030. It envisions creating its own space station and exploring Mars while launching commercial satellites. The Central Economic Work Conference held in mid-December decided to nurture strategic emerging industries such as the space #business, which includes launching commercial satellites."
#news #geopolitics