China seeks approval for one of largest satellite constellations

Chinese companies are preparing to deploy one of the largest satellite constellations ever proposed, with filings submitted to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) indicating plans for over 200,000 internet satellites. Among the most ambitious projects are the CTC-1 and CTC-2 initiatives, each aiming to launch approximately 96,714 satellites. These proposals come shortly after China publicly expressed concerns about orbital congestion caused by SpaceX’s Starlink constellation, which itself plans to deploy up to 42,000 satellites. The competition for orbital slots and radio frequency spectrum is intensifying as both China and the United States accelerate their megaconstellation deployments. The US currently holds an advantage, largely due to SpaceX’s early lead and recent approval from the Federal Communications Commission to launch an additional 7,500 second-generation Starlink satellites. However, the finite nature of orbital positions and spectrum means early entrants gain priority, raising the stakes in this space race. SpaceX has also taken steps to mitigate collision