By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) - China said it "successfully" sent 18 Qianfan satellites into preset orbits via a Long March-6 carrier rocket, which will be used to establish the nation's "own version of Starlink," state media reported on Tuesday.

The satellites, the first batch of their kind, were launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in North China's Shanxi province, marking a "milestone event" for the country in the global satellite internet industry, according to the local daily Global Times.

The Qianfan mega constellation project, or G60, was launched in 2023, aiming to provide more extensive and high-quality communication services for domestic users.

It is expected to establish a network of over 15,000 low earth orbit (LEO) wide-screen multimedia satellites in the long run.

"This will provide users with stable, high-speed internet services, especially in remote areas or regions with inadequate communication infrastructure, effectively bridging the digital gap," Kang Guohua, a senior member of the Chinese Society of Astronautics and a professor of Aerospace Engineering at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, told Global Times.

This year, Qianfan is projected to complete the launch of 108 satellites, and by the end of 2025 achieve regional network coverage with 648 satellites.

By 2027, the constellation aims to provide global network coverage, and ultimately by 2030, encompass 15,000 satellites providing integrated services such as direct mobile connections, according to the daily.

"In recent years, the achievements of SpaceX's Starlink as a 'disruptor' in the internet communication industry have been widely recognized. With the launch and networking of the Qianfan constellation, China has begun to make strides in this field," Kang said.