Qianfan Constellation
Overview
China's first commercial LEO mega-constellation in formal network deployment. The system is being built in phases: a 324-satellite initial network for regional coverage, a 1,296-satellite Phase 1, and a long-term total of more than 15,000 satellites for global coverage by 2030. Two July 2026 batches — a Long March 6A (18 satellites) on July 4 and a Long March 8A carrying 20 satellites (the largest group to date) on July 5 — lifted the network to 238 spacecraft in orbit; primary deployments continue in 18-to-20-satellite batches on Long March 6A, 8/8A alongside the new Long March 12B.
238 satellites are in orbit after 14 batch launches (through the July 4–5, 2026 deployments). The near-term objective is a 324-satellite initial network for regional broadband coverage by July 2026, building toward a 1,296-satellite Phase 1.