Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
China is building two separate low-Earth-orbit satellite-internet systems: Qianfan, a Shanghai-led commercial constellation, and Guowang, a national program. Their published plans add up to tens of thousands of satellites, but those are long-term targets—not fleets already in orbit. Public reports document Qianfan deployment in batches and Guowang’s first launch group; they do not establish completed global service for either system.
What is China’s “Starlink megaconstellation”?
There is no single Chinese system under that label. The phrase usually refers to two distinct projects designed to provide broadband connectivity from low Earth orbit: Qianfan, also called Thousand Sails or Spacesail, and Guowang. Both are being deployed in stages, and their planned scale should not be confused with the much smaller numbers publicly reported as launched.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Qianfan is a commercial project developed and operated by Shanghai Spacesail Technologies, also reported as Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology. China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology describes it as a low-orbit constellation for broadband communications and internet access, using Ku and Q/V frequency bands.
Guowang is a separate national satellite-internet effort associated with China SatNet. The State Council information portal reported its first group of low-Earth-orbit internet satellites launched from Wenchang on 16 December 2024.
#1 Best Overall
- HOBBY MODEL KIT – Unassembled model packed in an envelope with easy to follow instructions. Ideal for ages 14 and up.
- NO GLUE OR SOLDER NEEDED – Parts can be easily clipped from the metal sheets. Tweezers are the recommended tool for bending and twisting the connection tabs.
- VOYAGER – 1.5 Sheet Model with a moderate difficulty level. Assembled Size: 1.38 x 1.77 x 6.70 inches.
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions.
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all.
How many satellites are planned?
The published numbers describe different phases and systems, not a single near-term launch target. Chinese government descriptions give Qianfan a phased architecture, while an MIT-affiliated 2025 analysis puts Guowang’s planned scale at about 13,000 satellites.
| System or phase | Published scale | What the figure describes |
|---|---|---|
| Qianfan phase one | 648 satellites | Target for regional coverage, according to Chinese government reporting. |
| Qianfan phase two | 1,296 satellites | Target for global coverage, according to Chinese government reporting. |
| Qianfan later integrated-services phase | More than 15,000 satellites | Later-stage target in Chinese government reporting; not the number currently deployed. |
| Guowang | About 13,000 satellites | Planned scale cited in an MIT-affiliated 2025 analysis. |
The Qianfan figures are staged plans: its initial regional and global coverage targets are followed by a much larger integrated-services phase. The reported plan for Guowang is separate. Adding the largest stated targets suggests the scale of China’s ambitions, but it does not mean all those satellites have been built, launched, or made available to customers.
Rank #2
- Model Kit
- May Require Paints and Glues to Assemble
- Accurate Scale Model
- Detailed Instructions Provided
- Decals/Transfers Included
Have the satellites been launched?
Yes. Both projects have launch activity on record, but deployment is ongoing and the evidence for each is different. Qianfan has publicly reported batch totals; the cited Guowang report confirms a first group, without a comparable in-orbit total in these sources.
| Date or milestone | Reported deployment | What it establishes |
|---|---|---|
| 5 December 2024 | MIIT reported an 18-satellite Qianfan launch on a Long March 6A, bringing the constellation’s reported in-orbit total to 54. | A dated Qianfan total after its third batch. |
| 16 December 2024 | The State Council information portal reported the first group of China’s low-Earth-orbit internet satellites launched from Wenchang. | Guowang had begun launching; the report cited here does not give a total comparable to Qianfan’s. |
| Five-batch milestone reported in 2025 | Songjiang District Government reported 90 Qianfan satellites in orbit and said they were undergoing business-performance testing and service-function demonstrations. | A later reported Qianfan count and evidence of testing, not proof of a completed global service. |
| 7 April 2025 | Songjiang District Government reported another 18-satellite launch and a total of 126 Qianfan satellites. | A dated Qianfan total following that launch. |
These figures are snapshots from reports published in 2024 and 2025, not a verified count for October 2026. Qianfan’s municipal reporting describes a repeatable “one rocket, 18 satellites” deployment approach. Even a rapidly repeated launch cadence would leave major work—satellite production, launch capacity, ground stations, and gateway networks—between initial deployment and broad service.
Rank #3
- HOBBY MODEL KIT – Unassembled model packed in an envelope with easy to follow instructions. Ideal for ages 14 and up
- NO GLUE OR SOLDER NEEDED – Parts can be easily clipped from the metal sheets. Tweezers are the recommended tool for bending and twisting the connection tabs
- APOLLO CSM – 3.5 Sheet Model with a challenging difficulty level. Assembled Size: 5.07 L x 2.28 W x 3.45 H inches.
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all
What are the systems intended to do?
Qianfan: broadband and international applications
Qianfan’s stated purpose is broadband communications and internet access. Municipal reporting also points to overseas markets, including Belt and Road markets and overseas Chinese enterprises, and mentions direct-to-mobile connectivity. These are described applications, not evidence that the service is already commercially available everywhere or that particular performance has been demonstrated.
Guowang: a separate national satellite-internet buildout
Guowang belongs to a national program rather than Qianfan’s Shanghai-led commercial project. The publicly cited launch report establishes that its first group went into orbit; the available reporting here does not establish consumer access, service performance, or a rollout schedule.
Rank #4
- HOBBY MODEL KIT – Unassembled model packed in an envelope with easy to follow instructions. Ideal for ages 14 and up.
- NO GLUE OR SOLDER NEEDED – Parts can be easily clipped from the metal sheets. Tweezers are the recommended tool for bending and twisting the connection tabs.
- JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE - 2.75 Sheet Model with a moderate difficulty level. Assembled Size: 4.13 L x 2.75 W x 2.75 H inches. 1:221 Scale. 62 Pieces
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions.
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all.
For both constellations, public technical detail is limited. The MIT-affiliated analysis specifically notes that detailed Qianfan performance data are not officially disclosed. The available evidence does not identify a verified consumer purchase channel for terminals or establish completed global service for either system.
Could Qianfan affect astronomy?
There is evidence that Qianfan satellites are visible and may create an astronomy concern. A 2025 observational preprint analyzed 1,161 observations and measured a mean apparent magnitude of 5.76 ± 0.04 for Qianfan satellites. Its authors said the satellites may affect astronomical research and the night sky’s aesthetic value unless their brightness is mitigated.
Best Value
- HOBBY MODEL KIT – Unassembled model packed in an envelope with easy to follow instructions. Ideal for ages 14 and up.
- NO GLUE OR SOLDER NEEDED – Parts can be easily clipped from the metal sheets. Tweezers are the recommended tool for bending and twisting the connection tabs.
- HUBBLE TELESCOPE – 1 Sheet Model with a moderate difficulty level. Assembled Size: 3.00 x 2.00 x 2.50 inches.
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions.
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all.
That result is specific to Qianfan and to the observations in that study; it should not be treated as a measured brightness value for every Chinese satellite or for Guowang. As the number of satellites in orbit grows, visibility and interference are relevant questions for astronomers, but the cited measurement alone does not quantify the effect on every telescope, observation, or location.
Quick Recap
What is known—and what remains uncertain?
- Established: Qianfan and Guowang are separate projects, and both have had launch activity reported.
- Established: Qianfan’s public totals rose from 54 in December 2024 to 90 after five batches and 126 after the reported 7 April 2025 launch.
- Planned, not deployed: The headline-scale figures—more than 15,000 for Qianfan’s later phase and about 13,000 for Guowang—are plans, not current orbit counts.
- Not established by the cited reporting: A completed global consumer service, a guaranteed service date, or detailed independently verifiable performance for either network.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
