Economic Watch: China's commercial satellites accelerate global connectivity

SHANGHAI, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The latest partnership finalized between Airbus and Shanghai Spacesail Technologies Co., Ltd. marks another step in expanding the global operational scope of China's commercial satellites, exemplified by Spacesail's Qianfan Constellation.

According to the market cooperation agreement between the two sides, Spacesail will integrate its Qianfan Constellation into Airbus' HBCplus (High Bandwidth Connectivity Plus) in-flight connectivity solution. The move aims to provide airlines with high-speed, low-latency broadband services, improving the in-flight experience for passengers.

Qianfan is China's first giant low-orbit commercial satellite constellation to enter the formal networking phase. Since the launch of its first batch of 18 networking satellites in August 2024, the constellation has grown to 108 satellites in orbit after five more batches with the latest in October this year.

Tim Sommer, vice president of Airbus, said that the partnership reinforces Airbus' strategy to build a robust, diversified satellite ecosystem, adding that integrating Spacesail's large low-Earth orbit constellation will offer customers greater flexibility to meet growing demands for high-quality global connectivity.

Li Guotong, CTO of Spacesail, confirmed that Qianfan has undergone successful tests in Malaysia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan, demonstrating stable video streaming and video calls.

The company has also reached relevant cooperation agreements with Brazil's state-owned telecommunications company TELEBRAS and Thailand's National Telecom Public Company Limited, among others, according to Li.

Yau Chyong Lim, chief operating officer of MEASAT in Malaysia, said that the cooperation with Spacesail involves multiple areas, including managing the operation of low-orbit constellations, research and development, and the development of new applications.

Soraphong Siriphan, senior executive vice president of Thailand's National Telecom Public Company Limited, stated that the cooperation with Spacesail will provide the company with core cloud infrastructure and network capabilities to deliver a low-latency satellite internet experience for users.

Li Changhao, an industry expert, said that with the accelerated development of China's satellite internet industry, applications in emergency disaster relief, smart cities, and ocean logistics are being further explored.

"The global satellite internet industry has transitioned from technological verification to large-scale application. The proliferation of satellite internet is paving a new path for global digital equity," said Zhao Houlin, honorary chairman of the China Institute of Communications and former secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union.

China's low-orbit satellite network plans, represented by the GW Constellation and Qianfan Constellation, involve over 10,000 satellites, according to Zhao.

He explained that this will not only enhance efficiency in domestic emergency communications and "air-space-ground-sea" integration but also provide reliable digital infrastructure for countries participating the Belt and Road Initiative, helping to bridge the global digital divide. ■