China Successfully Launches 18 Internet Satellites with Long March-8 Rocket

China: China successfully launched a Long March-8 rocket from Hainan Province today, carrying 18 internet satellites into space as part of its ambitious push to build a space-based communications network. The rocket lifted off from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site and successfully deployed the payloads-the seventh batch of the "Thousand Sails Constellation"-into their designated orbits. According to Oman News Agency, the launch is part of a sweeping project aimed at establishing a low-Earth orbit satellite network to deliver high-speed internet services globally, particularly in regions lacking terrestrial infrastructure. The mission is the latest in a continuous series of operations that began in 2024, as China accelerates the deployment of a constellation expected to eventually comprise more than 15,000 satellites.