Beijing: China is embarking on a mission and planning to send upto 13,000 satellites in space – a ‘megaconstellation’ – that will encircle the Earth in the lower orbit, according to reports.
The company that has got the responsibility of this work has said that the main goal of the mission is to establish supremacy in lower Earth orbit, the report further said.
The satellites are expected to operate across a range of frequency bands.
Bao Weimin, a senior official of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC) stated, “we are planning and developing space-based internet satellites and have launched test satellites.”
“A “national network” (Guo Wang) company will also be established to be responsible for the overall planning and operation of the satellite internet construction,” Bao added.
According to China’s plan, the 12,992 satellites will orbit in low earth orbit like the satellites of SpaceX-Starlink company – in a ‘megaconstellation’. Their range will be between 498.89 kilometres to 1144.24 kilometres above the surface of the Earth.
Some firms have been given the contract to begin the development work in Chongqing, the Daily Mail report claimed.
A ‘megaconstellation’ is a network of thousands of satellites which cover the length and breadth of the Earth to deliver internet services. The SpaceX Starlink is currently the most developed, with nearly 2,000 satellites in operation.