China launches first satellites of constellation to rival Starlink: Report

BEIJING: A Chinese state-owned enterprise on Monday launched the first batch of satellites for a megaconstellation designed to rival U.S. company Space X’s Starlink’s near-global internet network, a state-backed newspaper reported.

The launch marks an important step in Beijing’s strategic goal of creating its own version of Starlink, a growing commercial broadband constellation that has about 5,500 satellites in space and is used by consumers, companies and government agencies.