China's Guowang megaconstellation is more than another version of Starlink
17 days ago
- #military technology
- #space competition
- #satellite networks
- US defense officials are concerned that China's Guowang satellite network could provide the Chinese military with ubiquitous connectivity similar to SpaceX's Starlink.
- The Guowang constellation, managed by China SatNet, may offer tactical advantages to Chinese forces in potential conflicts in the Western Pacific.
- Little information has been disclosed about Guowang's capabilities or any plans to offer services to consumers.
- Another Chinese satellite project, Qianfan, resembles SpaceX's commercial Starlink service and has begun launching broadband satellites.
- Guowang's architecture differs from Starlink, involving satellites from multiple companies and various rockets, resembling SpaceX's military-grade Starshield and the US Space Development Agency's future satellites.
- Guowang may be similar to the US military's proposed MILNET, a partnership between the Space Force and the NRO, potentially using Starshield satellites for a hybrid mesh network.