How China’s GuoWang internet satellites differs from those of @Starlink.

Details have emerged on the key distinctions between China’s GuoWang internet satellites, launched this week as the first step in China’s answer to @SpaceX’s Starlink constellation, and those of its US counterpart.

According to the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) the Chinese satellites are “huge” and “heavyweight”, and arranged inside the launch vehicle in a unique double-decker type of layout.

Unlike the Starlink satellites, which are stacked vertically within the rocket, the GuoWang satellites were mounted on two concentric tiers around a central support cylinder, optimising the use of vertical and radial space within the payload fairing, CALT said on its social media account.

Satellite Deployment:
The deployment process is just as distinctive. The GuoWang satellites were released in two separate groups, with the Yuanzheng-2 upper stage making precise adjustments between releases to minimise the risk of collisions, according to CALT.

“During the separation phase, the ‘passengers’ were divided into two groups to ‘disembark’ one after the other, with each group separating simultaneously,” CALT said. “After the first group disembarked, the Yuanzheng-2 upper stage adjusted its attitude, rotating to a specific angle to create favourable conditions for the separation of the next group.”

By contrast, a typical Starlink launch simultaneously releases dozens of satellites – probably smaller and lighter than the GuoWang satellites – using a spring-loaded mechanism. On-board thrusters are then used to spread out the Starlink satellites to reach their operational orbits.
The exact size and mass of the GuoWang satellites have not been revealed, but some observers have suggested they could exceed a tonne, given the Long March-5B’s payload capacity of around 25 tonnes and Yuanzheng-2’s mass of around 8 tonnes.

In comparison, Starlink satellites typically weigh between 260kg (573 pounds) and 295kg for first-generation models, with the newer Starlink V2 Mini satellites weighing around 800kg.