Guowang

Guowang (Chinese: 国网; pinyin: Guówǎng; lit. 'national network'), officially Satellite Internet Series Satellites (Chinese: 卫星互联网系列卫星; pinyin: Wèixīng hùliánwǎng xìliè wèixīng) is a Chinese low-Earth orbit satellite internet constellation to create a system of worldwide internet coverage. It was created by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), a state-owned enterprise backed by the Chinese Academy of Space Technology (CAST). The project was started in 2022 as a rival to the Starlink satellite constellation installed by SpaceX, and plans to be constituted of over 13,000 satellites by the project's end. Around 6,000 of the planned satellites are expected to orbit between 500 and 600 km, comparable to Starlink, and around 7,000 in a higher orbit at around 1,145 km. All of the satellites launched so far have been placed in the higher orbits, in 2 shells, one with inclination of 86.5° at 1.175 km and a second with 50.0° inclination at 1.156 km. The high inclination (86.5°) shell is being launched with the Long March 5B and LM 6A rockets and contains heavier (~1000kg) satellites, while the lower inclination (50.0°) shell is launched by the Long March 8A and LM 12 rockets and contains a different, lighter (~700kg) satellite type. As of September 2026, the program has launched 27 experimental series (技术试验系列; jìshù shìyàn xìliè) satellites, 3 high Earth orbit satellites (高轨; gāoguǐ) and 204 low Earth orbit (低轨; dīguǐ) satellites. The megaconstellation is managed by China SatNet and is believed to have both civilian and military applications.