Satellite Constellation Projects Set to Launch

Intensifying International Competition

The race to deploy satellite constellations into orbit is heating up across the globe, as reported by Katharina Buchholz from Statista. Satellite constellations, with SpaceX's Starlink being the most notable, aim to provide high-speed global Internet access.

SpaceX's Starlink and Amazon's Kuiper Project

Starlink, which was launched in 2019, had over 6,300 satellites in service as of the beginning of September. Eventually, the plan is to deploy 12,000 satellites, with potential expansion to 40,000. In the meantime, Amazon is planning to launch more than 3,200 satellites as part of its competing Kuiper project. After the successful launch of two prototypes last year, the American multinational plans to deploy its first commercial satellites for the project in 2025.

China's Satellite Internet Infrastructure Projects

China is also venturing into large-scale satellite Internet infrastructure projects. In early August, the state-owned Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST) launched the first 18 satellites of its Qianfan constellation. This constellation could potentially include more than 15,000 satellites by 2030. Geespace, a subsidiary of the Chinese car manufacturer Geely, announced that its project had 30 satellites in orbit at the beginning of September, with nearly 6,000 planned.

Europe's Satellite Constellation Efforts

In Europe, French satellite operator Eutelsat entered the fixed and mobile broadband market at the end of 2019. With the recent acquisition of the British low-orbit constellation OneWeb, which will have more than 600 active telecoms satellites by 2024, Eutelsat currently operates the world's second-largest satellite constellation fleet after SpaceX. The European Union is also working on deploying a sovereign constellation of broadband satellites. This project, named Iris2 and comprising 300 satellites, was submitted to the European Commission on September 2.

Risks and Concerns

The increasing number of satellites in the Earth's orbit raises questions and concerns about potential risks. These include the risk of collisions, space debris, and light pollution of the night sky that could hinder astronomical research.

Bottom Line

The race to deploy satellite constellations into orbit is a testament to the rapid advancements in technology and the increasing global demand for high-speed internet access. However, these developments also pose significant risks and challenges that need to be addressed. What are your thoughts on this matter? Feel free to share this article with your friends and discuss it further. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.