/sci/ - Science & Math

https://spacenews.com/china-looks-to-long-march-8-rocket-to-help-launch-its-answer-to-starlink/

> China is developing its plans to deploy a 13,000-satellite low Earth orbit (LEO) broadband megaconstellation, sometimes referred to as “Guowang,” or national network, to rival Starlink and other Western ventures. The country’s military has claimed that SpaceX has intended for Starlink to be used for military purposes in the wake of Ukraine’s defense against the invasion of Russia.

> The Long March 8 set a national record of 22 satellites on a single launch in February 2022 as a commercial carpooling test. But it also verified its use for launching batches of satellites.

> The South China Morning Post last week reported progress on pulse production and assembly facilities near Wenchang. This will eventually have an annual output of 50 Long March 8 rockets.

> The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) is also considering a larger version of the Long March 8, referred to as the 8G. It would use a pair of upgraded hydrolox engines on a widened second stage, allowing an increase in payload capacity to SSO (6,400 kilograms) and a larger 5.2-meter-diameter fairing for encapsulating greater numbers of satellites.

> CASC subsidiary CAST and Microsat under the Chinese Academy of Sciences are understood to be contracted to manufacture satellites for Guowang. Meanwhile, private firm Galaxyspace is expected to launch its first flat panel antenna satellites with flexible solar arrays in the second half of the year.