China looks towards its own Starlink, which would be able to suppress Elon Musk's satellites

Chinese scientists are looking for ways to counter Elon Musk's satellites. A group of specialists is proposing to develop its own constellation of spacecraft. They should provide Internet access and occupy orbits where Starlink satellites are not currently available.

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China has long expressed dissatisfaction with SpaceX placing Starlink spacecraft in orbit. Elon Musk's company has already sent around 5,000 devices into space and wants to launch 12,000 units by 2027. Some scientists in China have even considered the possibility of a nuclear explosion in space to disable Starlink.

Researchers at Beijing University of Aviation and Space Sciences, led by Associate Professor Xu Can, are thinking less radically. Their project is codenamed GW (no decryption is given). The scientists claim the satellite constellation will include 12,992 spacecraft. The firm China Satellite Network Group Co. will manage the operation.

The Chinese satellites will be used both to provide high-speed Internet access and to suppress Starlink. To do so, they will take up space in orbits where SpaceX satellites are not already present. The researchers argue that placing the devices in orbit will not require much time, and their number will correspond to the number of Starlink satellites.

Additionally, the Chinese experts want to develop radar systems. They allow the satellites to monitor Starlink and collect information on each individual SpaceX spacecraft. In addition, the Chinese do not rule out the creation of laser systems to destroy Starlink satellites.

In parallel, the Chinese National Space Administration believes that the space race will bring harm to all countries. The agency's representatives are calling for cooperation.

Source: scmp