China Launches 10 Internet Satellites in First Step toward Guowang Constellation

 China has taken its first step toward building the Guowang satellite constellation, launching 10 internet satellites into orbit on Monday to compete with SpaceX's Starlink for global high-speed internet coverage.

The first group of Guowang internet satellites was launched on Monday aboard a Long March 5B rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan Province, southern China.

The satellites are part of a larger plan to deploy 13,000 satellites over the next decade to deliver low-latency, high-speed internet worldwide, mirroring SpaceX's Starlink network.

The Long March 5B rocket lifted off at 5 a.m. local time, successfully placing the satellites into orbit after separating from its boosters and main stage.

According to publicly released data, the satellites entered an orbit 1,100 kilometers above Earth, with an inclination of 86.5 degrees to the equator.

China has so far provided few details about the satellites' design or capabilities.