China has launched a new batch of low Earth orbit internet satellites using a Long March-12 carrier rocket from the Commercial Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan province in the south of the country. China’s Xinhua News Agency reported that the satellites successfully reached their designated orbits after the launch was carried out.
New rocket supports commercial launches
The operation strengthens the role of the Wenchang site in Hainan province, which is China’s first centre dedicated to commercial space launches. The centre serves private companies and national projects requiring launches to be carried out at a rapid pace, as part of efforts to expand the infrastructure linked to commercial space activities in the country.
Through successive launches, China is seeking to build a large-scale global space-based internet network through projects such as the Guowang and G60 Starlink constellations. These plans aim to compete with Western networks, including SpaceX’s Starlink, while providing high-speed communications and integrated, independent internet networks capable of covering remote areas around the world.
