China Launches 18 Satellites to Expand Spacesail Constellation for Global Satellite Internet Service
China successfully launched a new group of 18 satellites on Thursday, expanding the Spacesail Constellation. The satellites were launched aboard a modified Long March-6 carrier rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center at 12:41 p.m. (Beijing Time). This marks the third batch of satellites to join the constellation, bringing the total number of in-orbit Spacesail satellites to 54. The launch, which also marked the 550th flight mission of the Long March rocket series, is a significant step toward enhancing the constellation’s continuous communication capabilities. Shanghai Spacesail Technologies Co., Ltd. confirmed that the constellation’s networking is accelerating, with plans to begin global satellite internet service in 2025. The Spacesail Constellation, designed for low Earth orbit with full frequency bands and a multi-layer, multi-orbit approach, will support sectors such as transportation, smart cities, smart agriculture, and emergency disaster relief.
