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The Shanghai government has announced its support for the development of a broadband megaconstellation called “G60 Starlink.” This project aims to build a constellation of over 12,000 satellites, with the first phase involving the launch of 1,296 satellites into orbit. G60 Starlink is a separate initiative from China’s national satellite internet plan, known as “Guowang.” The Chinese government established a state-owned enterprise in 2021 to oversee the construction of the 13,000-satellite Guowang constellation.

The G60 Starlink project, centered in Shanghai’s Songjiang District, offers an alternative to the national-level Guowang plan. Its development started in 2016, with the cluster plans announced in 2021. The project is part of the Science and Technology Innovation Valley initiative and is named after an expressway in the Yangtze River Delta region.

The first phase of development includes the establishment of a satellite manufacturing center, capable of producing 300 satellites annually. The facility is expected to begin operations in 2023 and aims to reduce the cost of manufacturing a single satellite by 35%.

It is believed that a coordination request was filed with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in April, corresponding to the G60 Starlink plan. The documents outline plans for 1,296 satellites distributed among 36 polar orbital planes. These satellites would operate in the Ku, Q, and V bands.

The details of the regulatory and coordination processes for both Guowang and G60 Starlink projects remain unclear. However, it is worth noting that the G60 Starlink project is linked to the Chinese shareholders of the former KLEO Connect constellation project, which faced disputes and lawsuits.

G60 Starlink is also planning to establish a tracking and control center for its constellation. This project is part of the larger trend of increasing small satellite capacity in China, with multiple institutions and companies involved in satellite manufacturing and technology development.

While the exact timeline for launching the G60 satellites is unknown, experimental satellites have already been launched and successfully networked. The development of G60 Starlink represents China’s commitment to expanding its presence in the satellite internet sector.

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