China launches eighth Guowang batch

China continues building the Guowang broadband network by launching its eighth batch of satellites.

China expands Guowang satellite network with eighth batch

China launched the eighth batch of satellites for its Guowang broadband network on Wednesday from Wenchang, Hainan. A Long March 5B rocket carried eight to ten satellites into low Earth orbit, marking the fourth Guowang launch in less than three weeks. The network, run by the state firm China Satnet, aims to grow into a global internet service with as many as 13,000 satellites, a target still far from reach.

The mission illustrates a steady push by Beijing to expand national space assets. Guowang is one part of a broader program that includes a second Chinese megaconstellation called Qianfan, and it is often compared with SpaceX aStarlink system. SpaceX currently operates around 8,100 satellites, while Guowang remains years away from a similar scale. The launch was described as a complete success by the state-backed CASC.

The rapid cadence signals a strategic bet on digital sovereignty and national security. A state led megaconstellation ties internet access to national infrastructure, which could shift how online services are governed and funded. The pace also raises questions about space traffic management, orbital debris, and the long term costs of maintaining such a system. For observers, the move underscores how space is becoming a core element of national strategy rather than a purely scientific frontier.

Internationally, the push heightens competition with SpaceX and other providers, inviting policy scrutiny and debates over data control, export rules, and how benefits are shared or restricted. For users, the outcome could mean broader access but with new layers of state oversight and pricing. The next steps will test how space policy, commerce, and diplomacy intersect as more actors pursue orbit based internet.

Highlights

Space plans advance as nations test how far orbit can shape online life.