# satellites
Latest news and articles about satellites
Total: 10 articles found
Wenchang Poised for a Busy Year: Hainan Firm to Support Nearly 30 Launches in 2026
Hainan International Commercial Space Launch Company says Wenchang Aerospace Launch Support Co. will back nearly 30 launches in 2026, including maiden flights and new ground-workstations. The announcement highlights a significant ramp-up in China’s commercial launch activity, with implications for industry capacity, regional economics in Hainan, and global competition in satellite deployment.
Why SpaceX Bought xAI: Musk’s Vision to Move Big AI into Orbit and Power It with Stellar Energy
SpaceX has acquired Elon Musk’s xAI and, via an internal memo, framed the move as the first step toward hosting large AI systems in orbit powered by solar energy. The plan leverages SpaceX’s Starlink constellation and launch capabilities to propose a new, space‑based infrastructure for AI, but faces major technical, environmental and regulatory hurdles.
Musk Bundles xAI into SpaceX to Chase a Radical Vision: AI Computes in Orbit
SpaceX has acquired Elon Musk’s xAI with the stated aim of building solar‑powered data centres in orbit, a strategy Musk argues will solve the energy and scale limits of terrestrial AI. The plan links Starlink connectivity and Starship launch capacity into a long‑term bet that could reshape AI compute economics but faces steep technical, regulatory and financial hurdles.
China’s Satellites Put U.S. Moves Under a Microscope as Iran Crisis Deepens
A recent Chinese-language article claims commercial Chinese satellites have captured and publicized U.S. military movements amid a U.S.–Iran standoff, intensifying the information war around the crisis. The piece argues that visible U.S. deployments may be more about signaling than sufficient force for a sustained strike, while Iran deepens ties with Russia to deter action and raise the costs of escalation.
SpaceX's Ambition for a Million Satellites Raises Stakes in the Race to Control Low Earth Orbit
SpaceX's proposal to deploy up to one million satellites would dramatically increase low Earth orbit congestion and shift the balance of technological and geopolitical power in space. The plan promises expanded connectivity and orbital computing but also raises acute risks around debris, spectrum management and strategic dependence.
SpaceX Files to Put a Million AI-Ready Satellites in Orbit — and China Says Commercial Space Will Drive 2026 Markets
SpaceX has applied to the FCC to deploy up to one million satellites as an "orbital data centre" for AI inference, a proposal that reframes space infrastructure as a compute frontier. Chinese brokerages, responding to domestic launch advances, have identified commercial space as a likely market theme for 2026, spotlighting investment opportunities and strategic competition.
Shanghai Bets on a ‘Rocket Star City’ in Minhang to Forge a RMB100 billion Commercial Space Hub
Shanghai has announced plans to build a 9.3 km2 commercial-space cluster in Minhang—“Rocket Star City”—aiming to establish a full reusable-rocket industry chain and annual capacities of up to 150 rockets and 500 satellites by 2030, targeting roughly RMB100 billion in industry output. The initiative accelerates China’s push to industrialise commercial space but faces constraints around launch access, regulation and workforce scaling.
Musk Warns AI Growth Will Run Up Against Power Limits — and Plans Solar AI Satellites
Elon Musk cautioned that electricity supply, not chip inventory, may soon cap AI deployment, predicting that chip output could exceed the number of units actually powered. He also proposed launching solar-powered AI satellites with SpaceX in the coming years as a way to sidestep terrestrial power constraints.
China’s 200,000‑Satellite Gambit: Racing to Lock the Orbits
China’s late‑2025 ITU filing for approximately 203,000 low‑ and medium‑orbit satellites has jolted the global space sector, prompting rapid reactions from incumbents and regulators. The move underscores a strategic race for finite orbital slots and spectrum that will shape 6G, national security and the economics of space for decades.
Spectacular Auroras Over China as a Major Geomagnetic Storm Rocks Earth
A major geomagnetic storm caused auroras to appear across large swathes of China, delighting onlookers but also raising concerns about impacts to satellites, communications and power systems. The event highlights ongoing solar activity and the need for robust space-weather monitoring and infrastructure resilience.