China plans ‘megaconstellation’ of 13,000 satellites in space

INDIA: China is embarking on a mission that has renewed concerns about spying. It plans to send upto 13,000 satellites in space - a ‘megaconstellation’ - that will encircle the Earth in the lower orbit, a report in the Daily Mail said.

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.

China's State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND) has called for orderly development of small satellites, according to the Daily Mail report.

It said that the group of satellites will be able to provide surveillance over much of the Earth and strengthen internet facilities.

Though the details about what the network will cover and how it will work are vague, the aim is to fill gaps in terrestrial communication, especially in rural areas, to strengthen its 5G network services, the report further said.

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.

- THE HINDUSTAN TIMES