China Advances Guowang Internet Constellation with Latest Satellite Launch

China continues to go toe to toe with to SpaceX's Starlink by expanding its Guowang internet constellation. First launched in December 2024, Guowang (meaning “national network”) is run by state-owned China SatNet and will include roughly 13,000 satellites. On Aug. 13, a Long March 5B rocket successfully lifted off with the eighth batch of satellites from Wenchang Space Launch Center on the island of Hainan. The mission is the fourth Guowang launch in under three weeks and eventually picking up the pace.

About Guowang

According to a report, China SatNet, a relatively new state-owned corporation (SOE), was formally but covertly founded by the Chinese government in April 2021. Its goal is to expand Guowang, or the "national network," China's "mega-constellation" initiative for internet satellites in low Earth orbit. The constellation will eventually consist of about 13,000 satellites, if all goes to plan. China's goal is to position itself in the highly strategic sector that is space-based broadband mobile telecommunication networks, so far dominated by the American SpaceX and its Starlink constellation.

The Guowang system is long away from its 13,000 satellite-constellation goal. Each launch so far has carried only eight to ten of these satellites, implying that each spacecraft is relatively large while its direct competitions like SpaceX launches 24 to 28 satellites on each mission to assemble its Starlink broadband megaconstellation.

Global Impact

China's space internet push is clearly aimed at competing on the global stage. SpaceX's Starlink network already has roughly 8,100 satellites, and Amazon's Project Kuiper is expanding toward its planned 3,200 satellites. China is also backing other constellations: the Spacesail “Thousand Sails” project (Qianfan) aims for a similarly large fleet. Chinese media say Guowang will eventually offer worldwide broadband coverage.

Some analysts warn that Chinese satellite networks could allow Beijing to extend its control over internet services abroad. More Guowang launches are expected in the coming months as China races to build out the network in the global satellite-internet arena.