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A new competitor is emerging in the satellite internet race, as Shanghai-based SpaceSail takes aim at disrupting Elon Musk’s Starlink in Latin America. SpaceSail recently signed an MoU with Brazil’s state-owned telecom giant, Telecomunicacoes Brasileiras (Telebras), during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the country. This marks a significant step toward bringing satellite-based internet to regions in Brazil where fiber optic infrastructure is limited or non-existent.
SpaceSail plans to deploy its low-Earth orbit satellite network, known as the Qianfan (Thousand Sails) constellation, to provide broadband access to underserved areas, in line with Brazil’s national digital inclusion efforts. The company’s vision for the Qianfan network is part of a broader ambition to connect remote parts of the world, with over 600 satellites planned to be operational by late 2025. Ultimately, the Chinese firm aims to build a global network of nearly 14,000 satellites, rivaling the scale of Starlink, which currently dominates the low-Earth orbit satellite internet market.
The agreement comes as Brazil navigates a tense relationship with Musk’s Starlink. Recently, Starlink found itself in a public dispute with Brazil’s Supreme Court, which temporarily banned Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), and froze Starlink’s accounts as part of a broader penalty. Despite these setbacks, Starlink holds a commanding presence in Brazil, with a 47% market share and over 224,000 customers, mostly in rural and remote areas.
SpaceSail’s Qianfan constellation, with its planned launch of 600 satellites by 2025, could provide a formidable challenge to Starlink, especially as the company has already expanded its operations to other countries and is negotiating with over 30 nations. The Brazilian deal signals SpaceSail’s growing influence, and its planned commercial applications will cover diverse sectors such as smart cities, agriculture, and disaster relief.
As SpaceSail ramps up efforts to compete with Starlink, its entry into Brazil highlights the rising competition between China and the U.S. in the global satellite internet arena—an arena that is crucial not only for broadband access but also for geopolitical influence in emerging markets.
