China is ranked fourth in the country leading technology across the globe. It has decided to press the button and launch its first Low-Earth Orbit satellite in September 2023.
It is a new season for China’s tech ecosystem as it moves up its tech manufacturing capacity to compete with SpaceX Starlink. Starlink is a satellite internet constellation that offers high-quality satellite connections with over 3,500 satellites in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). It continues to increase its satellite by thousands, making it the largest among contenders in the space race.
The government-owned corporation, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp (CASIC), which specializes in manufacturing spacecraft and missiles, intends to launch its first LEO satellite. However, the number of satellites is undisclosed.
While the generally acceptable Low-Earth altitude is known to be less than 1000km, CASIC plans to launch its satellites at a length of 150-300 km from the ground.
Why is China launching at this time?
Reports stated that China President Xi Jinping encouraged the country to be technologically independent in all fields when China was denied importation of Advanced Computing Chips from the US.
Although its military-industrial complex LEO satellite is not likely to out-scale SpaceX satellite any time soon, it is an excellent step to show how the quality of its services will be. Moreover, China’s satellite launch will give more options to users, scaling up competition and improving services with the inclusion of future innovative features.
Users will have the opportunity to choose, considering the cost and quality of the satellite internet services.
Suppose SpaceX launched its satellite farther than 300m. Some may prefer China’s LEO satellite because it is closer to the ground at 150-300m. A satellite at a lower earth orbit altitude exhibits a higher signal quality with better satellite imaging. It is also protected from space disturbances, making it less susceptible to faults caused by internal and surface charges.
With this, does China have a chance to compete with SpaceX and provide better satellite services than SpaceX satellites?
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