China’s Massive New Satellite Network Could Be A Total Nightmare For Starlink – SlashGear

On the face of it, China is simply launching its own version of Starlink. Close to 13,000 satellites will make up the network, which will be capable of providing internet service worldwide, much like Starlink already does. This could be a boost for nations that aren’t currently served by Starlink. These countries include China itself, Russia, Iran, Belarus, Cuba, Venezuela, and Afghanistan. The Chinese government has better relations with many of those nations than the U.S. government does, so the odds are the Asian nation’s service will be plugging a gap in the market. However, a study published in the Chinese journal Command Control and Simulation and viewed by the South China Morning Post suggests the satellite network has a more nefarious purpose.

The project, which has been codenamed “GW,” is aiming to have around 12,000 satellites in orbit by 2027. Basically, the Chinese government wants its network established before Starlink is actually finished. According to the paper, this is to “prevent the Starlink constellation from excessively pre-empting low-orbit resources.” But China’s goals may go beyond carving out its own piece of the low-orbit pie.