Chinese aerospace company Geespace satellites announced the successful launch of its third batch of satellites, marking a significant step toward building a mega constellation that aims to rival SpaceX’s Starlink. Backed by the Geely Technology Group, Geespace is working to establish a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network designed to deliver global broadband services.
The latest batch of satellites was launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in Shanxi province, reinforcing Geespace’s commitment to expanding its satellite capabilities. Geespace satellites typically operate at altitudes between 300 and 2,000 kilometers (186 to 1,243 miles) above the Earth’s surface, providing a more cost-effective and efficient transmission solution compared to satellites in higher orbits.
With the addition of these new satellites, the Geespace constellation now comprises 30 satellites, effectively covering 90% of the globe and offering 24-hour communication services. This deployment is notable as it marks the first instance of a Chinese commercial aerospace company providing global LEO satellite communication services.
Founded in 2018 by Geely Technology Group, Geespace aims to develop, launch, and operate low-orbit satellites. The company successfully placed its first 20 satellites into orbit across two launches in 2022 and earlier this year. The ultimate goal is to create a constellation of nearly 6,000 LEO satellites that will deliver global broadband, positioning Geespace as China’s private counterpart to SpaceX’s Starlink.
SpaceX’s Starlink, a pioneering commercial broadband constellation, currently operates around 5,500 satellites and serves a vast user base, including consumers, businesses, and government entities. With tens of thousands of users in the United States alone, SpaceX’s Starlink continues to expand its system, aiming to deploy even more satellites.
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Geespace’s satellite recent launch is part of its first construction phase, which aims to deploy a total of 72 satellites to support over 200 million users worldwide by the end of 2025. Subsequent phases will introduce an additional 264 satellites focused on mobile phone communications, followed by a third phase that will add 5,676 satellites dedicated to high-speed broadband.
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In the race to surpass SpaceX’s Starlink, Geespace is joined by other Chinese firms, including Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST). Last month, SSST launched a batch of LEO satellites for its “Thousand Sails Constellation,” also referred to as the “G60 SpaceX’s Starlink Plan.” This ambitious initiative aims to deploy 108 satellites this year, 648 by the end of 2025, and reach a total of 15,000 satellites by 2030.
