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China successfully launched 20 satellites for the Qianfan (千帆星座) constellation on July 7, 2026. The rocket lifted off from the Hainan commercial spaceport and delivered the payload into a sun-synchronous orbit, according to operator Yuanxin Satellite (垣信卫星). It marked the 15th batch launch of the Qianfan series since the first group was deployed in 2024.
Qianfan — marketed abroad under the brand name SpaceSail — is China’s answer to Starlink: a mega-constellation of thousands of small satellites in low Earth orbit designed to provide broadband internet globally. It is operated by Shanghai-based Yuanxin Satellite, a subsidiary of the state-owned conglomerate Shanghai Alliance Investment. The constellation is one of several competing Chinese satellite internet projects.
With the 15th launch, the number of Qianfan satellites in orbit continues to grow. The project began with its first batch in August 2024 and has since maintained a regular launch cadence. The goal is a full-scale deployment of the constellation to serve both commercial and government customers with space-based internet. Yuanxin Satellite confirmed that the launch went according to plan and that all satellites were successfully separated from the rocket and placed into their intended orbits.