China starts second broadband constellation
January 3, 2024
China successfully launched three test satellites for its expanding broadband Internet technologies on December 30th. The satellite was launched by a Long March-2C carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
These satellites are for the GuoWang national network of 13,000 satellites. However, there is now confirmed news that China is building a second broadband system. The first satellites are now emerging as part of China’s G60 mega-constellation which will be the nation’s second low Earth orbiting system.
An initial 108 G60 satellites are scheduled to be launched early in 2024 out of a planned total of 12,000 and at a launch rate of some 300 craft per year and to provide a global system by 2027.
The craft are being built by Shanghai Gesi Aerospace Technology (Genesat), a state-owned company created in 2022 by the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Innovation Academy for Microsatellites (IAMCAS) and Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology.
Shanghai Spacecom was involved in Germany-based KLEO Connect proposal. However, this joint-venture collapsed in a series of lawsuits. The arguments separated KLEO from that of Rivada Space Networks
The ITU has authorised plans for 1,296 of these G60 satellites under the ‘Sailspace-1’ code name.
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