China | A new mandate in the heavens

Why China fears Starlink

And why it wants to build its own satellite constellation in low-Earth orbit

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is seen in this time exposure from Cocoa Beach, Florida as it launches the company's third Starlink mission on January 6, 2020 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket is carrying 60 Starlink satellites as part of a planned constellation of thousands of satellites designed to provide internet services around the world. (Photo by Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images) — Image: Getty Images

May 18th 2023|TAIPEI

Beware of Starlink, says the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The mega-constellation of satellites, designed to provide off-grid high-bandwidth internet access, is run by SpaceX, a private American firm. But officials in Washington are surely taking advantage of it, warns the Liberation Army Daily. When Starlink was made available to Ukraine last year, after Russia’s invasion of the country, the army’s newspaper called it an “accomplice” of the “hegemony-obsessed US”. Never mind that it was Ukraine that asked SpaceX for help.

This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “A new mandate in the heavens”