China strengthens its position in the space field: more than 200,000 satellite orders

The issue of competition in low Earth orbit has once again become a focus of global attention. These orbital positions may be used to launch hundreds of thousands of satellites in the future, which has sparked sharp questions about space congestion and power balance in the era of satellite internet.

Although these regulatory measures have already been completed, they did not attract much attention at the time of their introduction. It was only when the global commercial satellite launches grew at an unprecedented speed, and debates over the fate of low Earth orbit as a limited and shared resource became increasingly intense that the true impact of these measures gradually emerged.

These requests do not necessarily mean immediate satellite launches, but rather represent proactive regulatory measures aimed at reserving orbital positions and future frequency bands and managing them precisely internationally. However, the scale of these requests is unprecedented and has sparked a wide debate in the scientific and political communities about the future of near-Earth space and who will prioritize its development.

Massive networks and national coordination

Most of these requests come from a newly established, state-backed Chinese institution specializing in spectrum innovation and development, which includes major proposals for two large satellite networks named CTC-1 and CTC-2+1, each of which plans to deploy approximately 97,000 satellites across thousands of orbits.

In addition, other major Chinese institutions including China Satellite Network Group, China Telecom, and China Mobile, as well as emerging commercial space companies, have also submitted applications for networks consisting of thousands of satellites.

This diversity reflects the transition of China's satellite internet projects from fragmented commercial initiatives to a coordinated national strategy combining public and private sectors.

Between ambition and reality

The background of this move is that China had previously criticized SpaceX's Starlink network for causing congestion in low Earth orbit.

Analysts believe that these moves by China may be partly a strategic response aimed at securing orbital and spectrum areas as early as possible, even if these plans are not all implemented on the ground.

Building a network of such scale faces huge challenges, including manufacturing satellites and providing launch platforms, building ground infrastructure, and going through the lengthy approval process of the International Telecommunication Union (which may take several years). Therefore, these applications are likely just to reserve future resources, rather than to make complete implementation plans.

Global Open Competition

Currently, the number of satellites in orbit does not exceed 10,000, with SpaceX alone accounting for the largest share. If China's plans are implemented, even partially, it would fundamentally change the balance of power in space and raise new issues regarding space congestion management, orbital safety, and fair distribution of shared resources.

No matter what happens to these applications, they clearly show that China not only seeks to catch up in the space race, but also aims to redefine the rules in the coming decades.

Source: Al Jazeera

Original: toutiao.com/article/1854946907611913/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.