Starlink will not be a monopolist. China will build its own network of 5G satellites

The sources cited by the South China Morning Post show that the implementation of this project has already started. The first satellites will be placed in orbit and operational within three months.

The project is being implemented by a startup from Beijing called GalaxySpace, which has already prepared the first batch, consisting of 6 communication satellites, ready to be launched in orbit around the Earth. The devices have reportedly already been tested and prepared for transport to orbit.

The current GalaxySpace plan assumes the launch of 1,000 communication satellites. This is a much smaller number than what Starlink currently has. Recall: Elon Musk’s company currently has 2,000 satellites and plans to increase this number to 42,000.

China’s 5G satellite network – China will be the main customer

The smaller scale of GalaxySpace is due to the fact that the Chinese startup wants to initially focus on providing internet in China. It makes a lot of sense – it is difficult to imagine that foreign customers will be interested in using the services of a Chinese provider, agreeing to very restrictive regulations when it comes to using the Internet on Chinese principles.

To stand out, GalaxySpace boasts that it is creating the first satellite network that will allow you to connect to the network in 5G technology. The engineers involved in this project say it will deliver download speeds in excess of 500 megabits per second with low latency, which will be an extremely important advantage in some applications. For example, when it comes to trading on the Beijing Stock Exchange.

Also read: Can 5G from satellite hurt us?

Not without significance for the entire undertaking carried out by GalaxySpace is also the fact that in 2020 experts from the Chinese National University of Defense Technology estimated that the presence of Starlink satellites in orbit could increase the average global satellite communication capacity available to the US military from 5 Mb / s to 500 Mb / s. This means the undoubted advantage of the American armed forces over the Chinese, which China has recently been trying to eliminate in every possible way.

It will not be an easy task. At least until China develops its own reusable missiles. Or they won’t start using SpaceX rockets to transport their satellites. It is interesting how the US authorities, which have already “intervened” with Google once in the case of Huawei equipment, would react to such actions, the effects of which are still felt today.