Shanghai Spacesail Technologies Co. Ltd. (Spacesail), a Chinese low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite operator, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Malaysia's Measat Global Berhad to expand satellite broadband services in Southeast Asia. The collaboration will leverage Spacesail's Thousand Sails megaconstellation (also known as Qianfan) for LEO broadband services, Direct-to-Device (D2D) communications, and satellite-based Internet of Things solutions.
The partnership aims to enhance Malaysia's space and communications sector, strengthen bilateral relations between Malaysia and China, and provide a boost to Spacesail's global presence. Measat, known for its geostationary orbit (GSO) satellite fleet, seeks to integrate multi-orbit satellite networks to expand digital connectivity, particularly in remote areas.
This agreement follows Spacesail's previous collaborations with Brazil and Kazakhstan. Spacesail has launched 72 satellites to date, with plans to deploy a constellation of over 14,000 satellites to provide low-latency, high-speed, and ultra-reliable satellite broadband internet services globally. The company plans to launch its next batch of satellites on a Long March 8 rocket from Hainan later this month.
Spacesail aims to have around 600 satellites in orbit by the end of 2025, requiring increased launch cadence, satellite production, and payload integration. The company's growth is expected to be facilitated by a new commercial spaceport on Hainan island and efforts to increase production of the YF-100 engines used in several kerosene-liquid oxygen launchers, including the Long March 8. Several new commercial and Long March rockets with potential reusability are scheduled for launch this year.
Qianfan is not the only Chinese megaconstellation in development. The national Guowang project, aimed at providing broadband internet services, launched its first satellite in December 2024.