Over 100 Chinese satellites were launched from China Hainan spaceport in 2025 to build Guowang and Qianfan broadband networks as major Starlink competitors that provide global internet through massive constellations of low Earth orbit satellites.
These ambitious projects mark China’s entry into the competitive race for satellite internet dominance. While Starlink satellites lead with thousands already launched into space, Guowang and Qianfan are targeting various markets and uses.
Technical challenges faced with space sustainability issues test their momentum as they seek to become a credible alternative for Starlink.
Satellite Internet Dominance Race
Guowang, also called Xingwang or SatNet, focuses mainly on serving China’s telecommunications needs and national defense. Qianfan, also known as Spacesail or SSST, works in cooperation with foreign telecom providers. Qianfan has so far signed agreements with Brazil, Malaysia, and Thailand and is aiming at many other nations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
“2023 and 2024 were the years of Starlink deployment. 2025 is the year of other actors getting into the game,” says Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer who tracks global satellite constellations.
In his opinion, Western media does not give enough attention to China satellites in commercial space sector and new Starlink rivals surfacing.
Despite the hype around Starlink competitors, challenges persist, chief among them is satellite reliability. According to Jonathan McDowell, 13 of Qianfan’s 90 satellites have shown anomalies, such as failing to reach their intended orbit. Of the 18 satellites launched in October 2024, only five successfully reached the correct orbit.
By comparison, Starlink’s satellite failure rate started around 3% and has since dropped below 0.5%. British competitor OneWeb, with over 600 satellites, has only two failures stuck in orbit. Higher failure rate among Chinese satellites may be partly due to Genesat, a newly established mass manufacturer, producing Qianfan’s second batch.
Chinese alternative networks place satellites in higher orbits than Starlink, which risks more space garbage if failed satellites can’t be removed. Victoria Samson chief director of the Secure World Foundation, a nonprofit focused on space sustainability, warns from constantly having to move satellite out of concerns of close approach. She stresses the urgent need for international coordination to avoid collisions.
A Race Against Time and Rockets
Time forms another challenge for Starlink competitors. The UN’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) requires launching at least 10% of planned satellites by 2026 to maintain frequency rights. Guowang plans to launch nearly 13,000 satellites, Qianfan more than 15,000.
“Guowang had money and government support but is led by executives from state-owned enterprises with a traditional, top-down methodology. They’re not going to move fast and break things” Blaine Curcio, an expert on China’s space industry said.
China’s rockets are used for numerous things and do not yet have reusable versions like SpaceX’s, so many low Earth orbit satellite launches are constrained.
Despite these obstacles, China’s networks offer themselves as serious alternatives to Starlink. Guowang may prioritize national security, while Qianfan sells to global audiences wary of Starlink’s political connections. As space competition heats up, China’s efforts could be major players in global satellite internet, if they overcome technical and logistical challenges.
As China’s Starlink competitors evolve, their success will shape global internet access and sustainability in space. Therefore, it is of high importance that they solve blocks while launching and technical glitches to ensure safe operations in crowded orbits.
Should Guowang and Qianfan develop well, they may offer a strong Starlink alternative. Their development will also test global management of the crowded skies of low Earth orbit satellites.
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