Qianfan satellite network – China's Starlink rival – is facing serious delays
9 months ago
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- #China
- Qianfan satellite network, China's rival to Starlink, faces potential delays due to rocket shortages and competition for launch resources.
- International regulations require satellite operators to deploy a certain proportion of their constellation within set times to prevent spectrum hoarding.
- Shanghai Yuanxin Satellite Technology aims to deploy over 15,000 satellites by 2030 for global direct-to-phone internet services.
- To meet its targets, Yuanxin needs to launch over 30 satellites monthly, aiming for 648 by 2025 and 1,296 by 2027.
- A Beijing-based rocket engineer cites China's limited manufacturing and launch capacity as a key bottleneck.