The inaugural satellite for China’s ambitious G60 megaconstellation has completed assembly, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s quest for space dominance.

This cutting-edge satellite, nicknamed “Genesis One,” promises to reshape the future of global connectivity and space exploration.

As the world eagerly watches, China’s G60 megaconstellation aims to deploy thousands of small satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO), revolutionizing telecommunications, internet access, and Earth observation.

With Genesis One’s successful assembly, Chinese engineers are now gearing up for a series of rigorous tests to ensure its readiness for launch.

The G60 Starlink low Earth orbit communications megaconstellation is set to launch its first satellite.

Approximately 12,000 G60 Starlink satellites will be launched by 2024, with the initial 108 being launched first. Shanghai Gesi Aerospace Technology (Genesat), a state-owned company established in 2022 by the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Innovation Academy for Microsatellites (IAMCAS) and Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology, manages the facilities. Genesat recently raised funds through investment vehicles under both the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shanghai government.

Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology was previously involved in the Chinese-European joint venture KLEO Connect constellation project, which ended in acrimony and ongoing lawsuits.

Documentation filed with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in April likely pertaining to the G60 Starlink project sets out plans for 36 polar orbital planes, each filled with 36 satellites, totaling 1,296 spacecraft.

These satellites will operate in the Ku, Q, and V bands.

The launch of Genesis One raises questions about the potential impact of China’s megaconstellation on existing space infrastructure and global competition in space-related technologies.

Could this megaconstellation reshape the space race as we know it, or will it spark concerns about overcrowding and space debris in LEO?