SpaceX

Beijing Accelerates Space-Based Internet Push With 13th Launch of 2025

Latest Long March mission advances China’s bid to rival Starlink and Kuiper.

Akul Saxena

Nov 13, 2025 — 1 min read

Photo of the Long March 12 Rocket's launch in Hainan, China's southernmost province.

Nov. 13, 2025 — China moved a step closer to building a space-based internet of its own this week, launching a Long March 12 rocket loaded with a new group of low-Earth-orbit satellites from its coastal site in Hainan, a southern province.

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. confirmed the Monday, Nov. 10 liftoff, the country’s 13th broadband-satellite launch this year.

The satellites belong to a planned network of about 13,000 spacecraft designed to provide global coverage and compete with Western constellations such as SpaceX’s Starlink, which operates more than 7,700 satellites, and Amazon’s Project Kuiper, deploying more than 150 in orbit.

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SpaceX ITU Satellite China Long March 12 Project Kuiper Qianfan Hainan China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology