Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
China has officially entered the competition for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite dominance with the launch of its "Thousand Sails" initiative. This project aims to deploy an initial fleet of 1,296 satellites by 2027, with plans to expand to 12,000 satellites in the following decade.
The first batch of 18 satellites was launched on October 15 from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center using a Long March-6 rocket. The satellites entered a polar orbit and were quickly observed in the sky following their deployment.
The growth of satellite constellations has led to a crowded environment in LEO, with SpaceX’s Starlink already in operation. The visibility of these "satellite trains" has raised concerns among astronomers and astrophotographers due to their impact on observations of celestial bodies.
In addition to the Thousand Sails initiative, China has also launched satellites for Geely Group Automotive as part of a communication network for autonomous vehicles. This highlights China's commitment to expanding its presence in satellite communications.
SpaceX’s Starlink constellation is currently the largest in orbit, with 7,125 satellites deployed and more launches planned. The company aims to increase its fleet to a total of 34,400 satellites in the coming years.
OneWeb continues to launch its satellites, relying on SpaceX due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict affecting its original launch plans. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Defense is developing its Starshield constellation, with over 100 satellites expected to be operational.
The increasing number of satellites is raising concerns regarding their brightness and radio noise, which could interfere with astronomical observations. Recent reports indicate that new satellites are emitting more unintended radio waves than their predecessors.
The rise of mega-satellite constellations raises questions about the future of the night sky and its visibility. As artificial satellites become more prevalent, there is an ongoing discussion about the need for oversight to manage the balance between technological advancement and the preservation of natural celestial views.