China Builds Megaconstellation Of 13 Thousand Satellites, West Accuses Of Being Part Of Spy Network

The west accuses China of launching thousands of satellites just to spy. (photo; doc. pixabay)

JAKARTA – China has stoked fears of new spies over their plans to launch a 'mega constellation' of up to 13,000 satellites operating in low-Earth orbit. This is similar to what Elon Musk's company SpaceX has done, with Starlink.

As reported by the Daily Mail, the network is said to be part of China's 5G mobile internet rollout, when the company was the first to be awarded a contract to start development work in the city of Chongqing.

Details are unclear about what the network will cover, or how it will work. However, the aim is to fill the gap in terrestrial communication and internet service for rural areas.

Reports suggest that this new push comes amid concerns from China over an international assault on the frequencies, which allow data to flow from Earth into space.

However, every move China makes in space has raised concerns among national security experts, including suspicions of what its use might be for the global constellation of Earth-facing satellites.

Having a constellation of satellite internet is considered a top-level project for the Chinese government, and can provide communication services all over the world, not only in China, This makes them able to compete with western operators.

Megaconstellations consist of hundreds to thousands of satellites that work together to cover all areas of Earth, most operating several hundred miles above the planet's surface, to provide internet service.

But relations between China and the West are currently at a freezing point, thanks to continued anger over the cover-up of the emergence of the COVID-19 outbreak from China.

Any widespread launch of the satellites is likely to raise fears that they will be used to spy on the United States and its allies.

China's continued claims over Taiwan also continue to anger the island democracy ally, with growing fears that Communist leader Xi Jinping could launch an attack in a bid to "reunify" Taiwan with mainland China, despite strong opposition from its population.

For the world's satellite business, SpaceX Starlink is the most developed, with nearly 2,000 satellites already operational, but Amazon also plans to launch thousands of similar satellites, and the European Union is exploring options.

According to Science and Technology Daily, the company that was awarded the contract to build a satellite center in Chongqing said the city offers various strategic advantages, including labor and economic.

One of these companies, Commsat, said international competition for frequencies, as well as resources in low-Earth orbit, had driven the development of their technology.

The first details of this mega constellation were released in late 2020 when the Chinese government submitted an application to the International Telecommunications Union for spectrum allocation - for two constellations of low-Earth orbit satellites.

It has been given the name 'GW' and consists of 12,992 satellites, consisting of sub-constellations orbiting from 310 miles to 711 miles.

The plan is that they will operate in various frequency bands, and potentially operate worldwide, to provide internet services to various countries.