Updated

Updated · CGTN · Jun 17

China Launches 22nd Internet Satellite Group on Long March-12 in 652nd Rocket Mission

Updated

Updated · CGTN · Jun 17

China Launches 22nd Internet Satellite Group on Long March-12 in 652nd Rocket Mission

Q: China's new satellites are up, but which of its competing mega-constellations do they actually belong to?

They most likely belong to **GuoWang**, not Qianfan. The key clue is the wording in the official report: it says China launched the **“22nd group of low-Earth orbit internet satellites.”** In recent tracking and industry reporting, that “group” numbering aligns with the **state-backed GuoWang broadband constellation**, operated by China Satellite Network Group. Additional reporting says GuoWang had already flown 21 previous groups by April 2026, making this June 17 mission the logical **22th batch**. That matters because China is now deploying more than one rival megaconstellation. **Qianfan**, also called **Thousand Sails**, **Spacesail**, or **G60 Starlink**, is the Shanghai-backed commercial system led by Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology. It has had many launches of its own, but those missions are usually identified directly as **Qianfan/Spacesail** launches rather than by the generic “22nd group” phrasing. So while some early summaries blurred the distinction, the stronger match is that Wednesday’s launch was for **GuoWang**, China’s national low-Earth-orbit internet network, which is planned to grow to roughly **13,000 satellites**. Qianfan remains a separate, competing Chinese constellation with a target of more than **15,000 satellites**. In short, China’s newly launched satellites appear to be part of **GuoWang**, the national constellation, rather than the Shanghai-backed **Qianfan/Spacesail** system.

3 articles · Updated · CGTN · Jun 17

A Long March-12 rocket lifted off from Hainan at 10:44 a.m. Wednesday, placing China’s 22nd group of low-Earth-orbit internet satellites into preset orbit.
The launch used the Hainan commercial spacecraft site in south China, extending deployment of the country’s internet satellite constellation.
Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology developed the Long March-12, which can support multiple orbital missions with payload capacity of at least 12 tonnes to low-Earth orbit.
The rocket can also carry at least 6 tonnes to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, underscoring its role in broader commercial and constellation launches.
This mission was the 652nd flight of China’s Long March carrier rocket series, highlighting the scale and cadence of the program.