At 19:59 on May 12, Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology successfully launched the eighth batch of networking satellites for the Thousand Sails Constellation aboard a Long March 6A carrier rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The satellites were deployed using a "one rocket, 18 satellites" approach. They have entered their intended orbits and are operating normally, marking a complete success of the launch mission.
The Thousand Sails Constellation is China's independently controllable low-orbit satellite internet system. It is primarily designed to address the needs of the Belt and Road Initiative and Chinese enterprises going global, providing high-speed, real-time, secure, and reliable integrated solutions and services for space, air, ground, and sea connectivity.
Zhang Qi, Chairman of Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology, revealed that the ground measurement, operation, and control network for the Thousand Sails Constellation has been preliminarily established, and the system is expected to achieve preliminary global coverage within 2026.