There are, he wrote, two “fairly credible,” NGSO (Non-Geostationary Orbit) communications constellations in China. These embody the state-backed SatNet/Guowang constellation and the “partly state-backed however considerably business G60/ Qianfan constellation.”
Curcio went on to say, “regardless of it solely being introduced with any seriousness just a few months in the past, we already know a heck of much more about G60/Qianfan than we do about SatNet/Guowang, as the previous seems very eager for publicity and recognition, and the latter very a lot underneath wraps, presumably resulting from its Central authorities possession.”
The operation, he wrote, “will probably be operated by Yuanxin Satellite tv for pc, aka SSST, an organization that was supplied about $1 billion of funding from the Shanghai Authorities earlier this yr. The satellites will probably be constructed by Genesat, a three way partnership between the Chinese language Academy of Sciences Shanghai Engineering Heart for Microsatellites (CAS SECM) and Shanghai Aerospace Funding Restricted (SAIL), a Shanghai Authorities fund.”
In response to Curcio, “current statements from the corporate name for 648 satellites and APAC regional protection by EOY 2025, and an extra 648 satellites for world protection by EOY 2027.”
He acknowledged that the SatNet/Guowang constellation “will probably be operated by China Satellite tv for pc Networks Restricted (SatNet), a centrally managed SOE established in April 2021. The constellation may need 1000’s of satellites, or over 10,000 satellites, or another undefined quantity. We’ve got zero information of deployment timeline, we don’t know what the satellites appear like, and we have now no affirmation about who will construct them.”
