https://english.news.cn/20240808/ef7d1b62fbfb4ea192f7433447a26499/c.html
China’s newly-launched space sail satellite group could be considered both a technological leap and a strategic move in the low Earth orbit internet industry. The 18 satellites will provide global users with low-latency, high-speed and ultra-reliable satellite broadband internet services, according to launch service provider China Great Wall Industry Corporation. The constellation’s potential to provide seamless, high-speed internet access worldwide underscores China’s commitment to bridging the digital divide and seizing opportunities in the burgeoning satellite internet sector.
WHAT IS SPACESAIL?
The Spacesail project commenced in 2023 and is set to unfold in three phases. The first phase, expected to conclude by the end of 2025, will see 648 satellites providing regional network coverage. By 2027, the second phase will expand this to global coverage with an additional 648 satellites. The ambitious third phase, aiming for completion by 2030, plans to have a staggering total of 15,000 satellites offer mobile direct-connect multiservice integration. The year 2024 is projected to witness the launch of 108 satellites.
Analysts from Minsheng Securities highlight that China has planned three “ten-thousand-star constellations,” with the Spacesail Constellation being one of them. The other two are the GW constellation, which aims to create a constellation of 13,000 satellites, and the Honghu-3 constellation, which plans to launch 10,000 satellites across 160 orbital planes.
The Spacesail satellites are designed using digitalization and modular production methods, which are expected to significantly enhance the efficiency of satellite development. The first batch of 18 commercial network satellites, each weighing 300 kg, utilizes a stackable flat satellite platform independently developed by a Shanghai aerospace firm.
WHY IT MATTERS
The launch is a milestone in China’s commercial aerospace history and a significant step into the global satellite internet arena. Analysts from Huachuang Securities note that the deployment for satellite internet is of profound significance. It is imperative to seize strategic resources and embrace an integrated space and terrestrial network. The scarcity of satellite frequency and orbital resources, governed by the “first come, first served” principle, adds urgency to the deployment. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) stipulates that satellite frequencies and orbital resources must be fully deployed within seven years of declaration, or the scale of the declared constellation will be reduced.
The advent of mobile direct-connect services, following the release of smartphones equipped with “direct to device” capabilities, has opened up the civilian market for satellite internet. The integration of satellite and terrestrial networks has achieved a significant breakthrough, with space-Earth communication expected to be closely integrated in the era of 6G communication, as envisioned by the ITU.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Satellite orbits are primarily categorized into three types: geostationary Earth orbit (GEO), medium Earth orbit (MEO), and low Earth orbit (LEO). Compared to the other two categories, LEO satellites boast several advantages, including proximity to Earth, minimal transmission latency, low link losses, and flexible launch capabilities. They are an integral component of the future integrated network that encompasses the sky, space, and sea. China places great emphasis on the coordinated development of the GEO, MEO and LEO satellites to build an integrated space-Earth information network.