China Files Plans for Massive 203,000-Satellite Constellation with ITU

China's Ambitious Orbital Expansion

China has formally submitted applications to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for the deployment of a colossal satellite constellation, potentially comprising up to 203,000 devices in low Earth orbit. These filings, made between December 25 and 31, 2025, represent China's most extensive coordinated international filing for satellite frequency and orbital resources to date. The proposed network is intended to bolster China's global communications infrastructure and compete in the rapidly expanding satellite internet sector.

Key Constellations and Strategic Objectives

The vast proposed constellation is distributed across 14 separate projects. Notably, two of the largest, designated CTC-1 and CTC-2, were filed by the Institute of Radio Spectrum Utilization and Technological Innovation, a newly established national research institute. Each of these two constellations alone accounts for 96,714 satellites, making up over 95 percent of the total 203,000 proposed devices.

Beyond these, other significant Chinese initiatives contributing to the nation's space internet ambitions include:

• The Guowang (China SatNet) constellation, a state-owned enterprise established in April 2021, which plans for 12,992 satellites. This network is structured into two sub-constellations: GW-A59 with 6,080 satellites and GW-2 with 6,912 satellites.
• The Qianfan, or 'Thousand Sails,' project, supported by the Shanghai municipality, aiming for approximately 15,000 satellites.
• The Honghu-3 constellation, developed by the private company Landspace Technology Corporation, which intends to deploy around 10,000 satellites.

These initiatives are part of a broader national strategy to integrate space-based communications with terrestrial systems, support the development of 6G technology, and enhance digital sovereignty. The overarching goal is to establish an integrated communications, Earth observation, and satellite navigation network with global reach.

Implications and International Context

The scale of China's proposed satellite deployment significantly surpasses current global market figures and has drawn considerable attention from analysts and the space industry. For comparison, SpaceX's Starlink network currently operates nearly 10,000 active satellites. Experts suggest that these extensive ITU filings reflect China's long-term national strategy and space resource planning, rather than an immediate engineering capability to launch all devices.

Submitting applications to the ITU is a crucial first step for satellite operators worldwide to secure frequency and orbital resources. This practice can also create technical limitations for competitors, as operators must account for potential radio interference. The rapid increase in the number of devices in orbit has led to warnings from experts regarding the risks of low Earth orbit (LEO) overload, including spectral conflicts and the threat of cascading collisions.