• Iridium Communications has partnered with Syniverse to support the global rollout of its Iridium NTN Direct service, integrating the platform with Syniverse’s mobile network operator infrastructure to enable seamless global connectivity.
• The partnership enables direct-to-device and narrow-band IoT messaging across industries by leveraging Iridium’s LEO satellite constellation and Syniverse’s 3GPP-compliant mobile interoperability systems.
• Iridium NTN Direct, part of 3GPP Release 19, will begin device integration and on-air testing in 2025, with commercial device availability expected in 2026.

PRESS RELEASE –  Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM), a leading provider of global voice and data satellite communications, today announced a new partnership with Syniverse, the world’s most connected company^®, to support the rollout of Iridium NTN Direct^SM service with mobile network operators (MNOs) worldwide. Through this partnership, Iridium NTN Direct is integrating with Syniverse’s global platform, making it easy for MNOs to keep their customers continuously connected everywhere on the planet.

According to GSMA’s 2025 Industry Survey, 85% of MNOs planning to pursue non-terrestrial network (NTN) service are seeking a Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) solution that extends their coverage globally. As part of 3GPP Release 19, Iridium NTN Direct will provide truly global, standards-based direct-to-device (D2D) and narrow-band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) messaging and SOS for consumer devices, automobiles and industrial applications in agriculture, transportation, logistics, energy and utilities.

The combination of MNO requirements and Iridium NTN Direct capabilities makes it the ideal solution. With Iridium NTN Direct, MNOs will know they have a reliable partner with a fully deployed, owned and operated satellite constellation, unmatched coverage, globally coordinated mobile satellite services (MSS) spectrum, and a history of providing reliable safety of life services.

“We’re building the backbone of the global D2D movement, the right way and with the right partners as we prepare for on-air testing with MNOs and chipmakers in the coming months,” said Iridium CEO Matt Desch. “The integration of Syniverse’s system with the Iridium^® network will give MNOs a simple path to expand their footprint to the entire planet.”

“Satellite networks are becoming a natural extension of the mobile ecosystem, and our role at Syniverse is to make that transition seamless,” said Andrew Davies, Chief Executive Officer of Syniverse. “By integrating Iridium NTN Direct into the global mobile framework using standards-based, carrier-grade systems, Syniverse is simplifying deployment, ensuring consistency and security, and accelerating access to non-terrestrial connectivity.”

For more than 35 years, Syniverse’s leadership in mobile interoperability and clearing services has played a key role in enabling MNO adoption for satellite integration, which includes seamless customer roaming, authentication and billing functions. Their system serves approximately 600 carrier customers directly in 170 countries worldwide and connects over 830 mobile operators with their global IPX backbone. Fully 3GPP-compliant and standards-based, Syniverse ensures fast deployment, helping operators confidently unlock new markets.

Iridium NTN Direct stands out among Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) and NB-IoT services by offering MNOs an unmatched combination of truly global coverage, reliability and capability. 3GPP Release 19 is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, and the first Iridium NTN Direct connected devices are planned to be available in 2026.

• Apex has unveiled Comet, its largest and most powerful satellite bus platform, designed for high-power LEO missions and large payloads in both commercial and government applications.
• Comet delivers over 5kW of continuous power and features a flat, stackable form factor that maximizes launch efficiency and minimizes costs for constellation-scale deployments.
• The new platform expands Apex’s growing product line alongside Aries and Nova, backed by a recent $200 million funding round to scale production and meet accelerating demand.

PRESS RELEASE – Apex, the world’s first spacecraft manufacturer to offer productized, high-rate configurable satellite bus platforms, has announced Comet, the largest satellite bus in its product line. Comet, with a unique flat design, meets the needs of commercial customers launching high-power LEO missions, including Direct-to-Device constellations, as well as government customers requiring large aperture payloads.

Comet delivers more than 5 kilowatts of continuous power to payloads while its compact design allows it to stack flat in a launch vehicle’s 5-meter fairing. This form factor allows more satellites to fit on a single rocket launch, reducing costs. Engineered specifically to meet rigorous technical requirements at an economically viable price point, Comet optimizes capital expenditure for organizations deploying satellite networks at scale. Comet is specially designed to support advanced antenna systems that enable large networks of satellites, serving both commercial and national security needs. 

“Apex developed Comet to enable a variety of commercial capabilities and defense missions,” said Ian Cinnamon, CEO of Apex. “From cell phone towers in space for consumer technology, unique sensing missions, or as an interceptor platform for Golden Dome, Comet is the clear choice to accelerate the most ambitious space missions.”

Apex’s differentiated approach to satellite bus productization has created a strong underlying foundation for the business. The introduction of Comet bolsters the company’s growing product line, including Aries, which celebrated one year on-orbit in March 2025. Apex also announced Nova in 2024, an ESPA-Grande satellite bus platform built to support 300kg of payload for mixed-use constellation customers. As the sole producer of truly productized satellite buses, Apex is committed to helping customers get to space faster and will continue to scale production to achieve that goal. Earlier this year, Apex also announced a $200 million financing round led by Point72 Ventures and 8VC to increase production to meet customer demand.

• Impulse Space and SES have signed a multi-launch agreement to use the Helios high-energy kick stage for transferring SES satellites from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to Geostationary (GEO) or Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) in a matter of hours.
• The first mission is slated for 2027 and will deploy a 4-ton-class SES payload to GEO within eight hours of launch, offering a faster, more flexible alternative to heavy-lift rockets or multi-month electric propulsion transfers.
• The deal marks Helios’ first commercial contract for a dedicated mission, a shift in satellite deployment strategy that aims for quicker service delivery, longer satellite lifetimes, and cost savings for operators.

PRESS RELEASE — Impulse Space, the in-space mobility leader, and SES, a global content and connectivity provider, announced a multi-launch agreement to use Impulse’s Helios kick stage to shorten the time required for the selected SES’s satellites to reach their final orbital position, whether on geostationary (GEO) or Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), by transporting the satellites from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) directly to high-energy orbits in hours.

The first mission, currently planned for 2027, will feature a dedicated deployment from a medium-lift launcher in LEO, followed by Helios transferring the 4-ton-class payload directly to GEO within eight hours of launch. The agreement provides opportunity for additional missions, allowing SES to rapidly and responsively launch satellites to their selected orbit on demand.

Impulse Space founder & CEO Tom Mueller, SES CEO Adel Al-Saleh, and executives sign the multi-launch agreement at Impulse Space HQ in Redondo Beach, California. Credit: Impulse Space

Traditionally, satellite operators wanting to launch their satellites to MEO or GEO orbits have had to choose between costly and low-supply heavy-lift rocket launches or slow, multi-month transfers using electric propulsion. Impulse’s kick stage, Helios, is designed to rapidly deliver payloads from LEO directly to these high-energy orbits in hours, transforming industry dynamics.

“At SES, we are firm believers that co-development and collaboration with our partners will help the space industry to evolve and quicken the pace of innovation,” said Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES. “Today, we’re not only partnering with Impulse to bring our satellites faster to orbit, but this will also allow us to extend their lifetime and accelerate service delivery to our customers. We’re proud to become Helios’ first dedicated commercial mission.”

Helios’ responsive capabilities and powerful engine enable mission operators to design—and price—satellites based on their specific operational orbit. This paradigm shift can simplify mission planning and decrease satellite mass, resulting in lower overall mission costs, while improving operational timelines.

“We believe MEO and GEO play a critical role in the space economy, but operators today face the challenges of slow, expensive, and inflexible access to these essential orbits,” said Tom Mueller, founder and CEO of Impulse Space. “Helios changes that—it’s built to move large payloads to high-energy orbits quickly and reliably. SES has a long history of embracing innovation and pushing our industry forward, and we’re proud they’ve chosen Helios to support the next phase of their deployment strategy.”

This marks the first commercial contract for a dedicated Helios mission—where a single, 4-ton-class payload will fully leverage the vehicle’s performance capabilities for direct transport to GEO.

• Starfish Space will launch Otter Pup 2 this summer to attempt the first commercial docking with an unprepared satellite in low Earth orbit.
• The mission aims to validate Starfish’s compact, software-driven satellite servicing approach, enabling more cost-effective, scalable in-orbit operations.
• Otter Pup 2 is supported by key industry partners and will test core Starfish technologies ahead of full Otter deployments for Intelsat, NASA, and the U.S. Space Force in 2026.

PRESS RELEASE – Starfish Space has announced its next demonstration mission, Otter Pup 2, set to launch this summer. Building on the heritage of the Otter Pup 1 mission, Otter Pup 2 will conduct rendezvous, proximity operations, and ultimately attempt docking with another spacecraft, an unprepared satellite in low Earth orbit (LEO). If successful, this will be the first commercial satellite docking in LEO.

In addition, a successful docking of Otter Pup 2 would validate Starfish’s uniquely affordable approach to satellite servicing. Since the start of the Space Age, humanity has sent satellites into orbit knowing they’ll be on their own. With no affordable, practical options for servicing once in orbit, satellites must be entirely self-sufficient—greatly constraining how they can be built, how much they can do, and how long they can last. 

Starfish Space was founded to change this paradigm, starting with the Otter satellite servicing vehicle. As a demonstration platform supporting Otter, Otter Pup 2 will give Starfish the opportunity to test key software and hardware technologies in orbit, paving the way for the company’s first Otter missions for Intelsat, the U.S. Space Force, and NASA in 2026. 

“If successful, this mission will further validate our unique approach to satellite servicing: taking complex problems that were traditionally solved with hardware and instead solving them with software,” said Trevor Bennett, co-founder at Starfish Space. “This allows us to make Otters an order of magnitude smaller than other servicing vehicles—making them faster to build, faster to launch, and finally closing the business case for satellite servicing to scale across the space industry.”

A set of key partners throughout the space industry have helped Starfish bring the Otter Pup 2 mission to life. The satellite bus was manufactured and integrated by Astro Digital, and the vehicle is equipped with electric propulsion thrusters from ThrustMe and the Argus camera system from Redwire. Additionally, Honeybee Robotics has contributed components that are part of Starfish’s Nautilus capture mechanism. The mission will launch aboard the Transporter-14 rideshare mission with SpaceX. A D-Orbit ION spacecraft will serve as the client satellite for the mission.

Mission Highlights:

The Otter Pup 2 mission will attempt the first-ever docking with an unprepared commercial satellite in low Earth orbit, generating valuable data and helping validate core Starfish rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking (RPOD) technologies in the process. 

• Historic docking: Otter Pup 2 will attempt to dock with a commercial satellite—a first in LEO. The client satellite will be unprepared, meaning it has not been modified for this mission, reflecting the current reality of most satellites in orbit.   
• Launch & Docking Timeline: Otter Pup 2 will launch aboard the Transporter-14 rideshare mission with SpaceX scheduled for no earlier than June 2025, with docking attempts planned for later in the year.
• Client Satellite: A D-Orbit ION spacecraft will serve as the client satellite for the mission, building upon the partnership initiated by Otter Pup 1’s rendezvous with ION SCV006 in April 2024.
• Autonomous Operations: At multiple stages of the mission, Otter Pup 2 will demonstrate fully autonomous RPOD capabilities.

Key Starfish Technologies Onboard:

Otter Pup 2 carries the core autonomous software and robotics systems that enable the full Otter servicing vehicle:

• CETACEAN: Starfish’s proprietary computer vision-based navigation software, allowing the vehicle to estimate position and orientation relative to a client satellite.
• CEPHALOPOD: Autonomous guidance and control software that plans and executes safe approach and docking maneuvers. Capable of transforming any spacecraft, electric or chemical propulsion, into an RPOD vehicle.
• Nautilus: A universal docking mechanism enabling docking without the need for prepared fixtures or surfaces on the client satellite. Otter Pup 2 will fly an electrostatic version of Nautilus, designed to adhere to flat surfaces of various materials commonly found on satellites.

• Researchers at the Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, have developed a satellite navigation method using ambient signals from commercial Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations like Starlink and Iridium NEXT.
• The system uses inexpensive wide-beam antennas and a time-frequency inversion algorithm to extract pseudo-range and Doppler measurements, achieving 3.6-meter 2D and 6.2-meter 3D accuracy without relying on proprietary signals.
• The technique, validated in real-world tests, offers a resilient, scalable, and low-cost alternative to traditional GNSS, particularly in obstructed environments, with potential applications in autonomous systems, disaster response, and industrial asset tracking.

A team of researchers from the Aerospace Information Research Institute at the Chinese Academy of Sciences claims to have a new method to improve satellite navigation accuracy using ambient signals from commercial Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites.

According to researchers, the system, which bypasses traditional navigation signals, achieves positioning accuracy within 3.6 meters in 2D and 6.2 meters in 3D using inexpensive wide-beam antennas and a novel time-frequency inversion algorithm.

“This work marks a key step toward accessible, accurate navigation using commercial satellite constellations,” said lead author Dr. Ying Xu in a statement. “By integrating Doppler and pseudo-range measurements and introducing a flexible precision metric, we can now harness Starlink and Iridium NEXT signals for high-precision positioning, even without access to proprietary signal structures. The proposed low-cost architecture opens new possibilities for resilient navigation in GPS-denied environments.”

Traditional Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as GPS face performance issues in obstructed environments like urban canyons or forests, where signal reflections and blockage degrade precision. To address this, the team turned to Signals of Opportunity (SOP), emissions from satellites like Starlink and Iridium NEXT that are not originally designed for navigation but are widely available and increasingly pervasive.

The research, published in the journal Satellite Navigation, introduces a joint pseudo-range and Doppler positioning technique that reconstructs navigation data without relying on real-time satellite ephemeris or clock data. The system uses Low-Noise Block (LNB) wide-beam antennas to simultaneously receive multiple LEO signals. These signals are processed through an algorithm that estimates transmission time and frequency, generating usable pseudo-range and Doppler data.

Real-world testing confirmed the method’s efficacy, even over long baselines. When applied to Starlink Doppler signals, the system reached sub-10-meter positioning. Combining Doppler with Iridium NEXT pseudo-range inputs, the method showed significant performance gains over previous techniques, reducing errors by more than 35%.

The researchers also introduced a new metric, Equivalent Position Dilution of Precision (EPDOP), to measure the accuracy of positioning under various conditions and mixed input types. This allowed for performance evaluation even when the available satellite data was imprecise, as is often the case with public datasets like Two-Line Element sets (TLEs).

The low-cost, low-power architecture offers a viable alternative in environments where GNSS may be compromised or unavailable. The ability to derive accurate navigation data from weak and unstructured SOPs suggests broad utility for autonomous vehicles, drones, disaster response, and industrial asset tracking, researchers propose. With commercial LEO constellations growing rapidly, the method scales easily and could serve as a robust fallback or complement to traditional systems.

• Rivada Space Networks has partnered with Pulsar International to expand secure satellite connectivity to maritime, agricultural, enterprise, and government sectors.
• Pulsar will integrate Rivada’s Outernet, a global LEO satellite network, to deliver high-speed, low-latency, and ultra-secure communication infrastructure in underserved and remote regions.
• Rivada reports more than $16 billion in global business for its Outernet system, which features laser-linked satellites that bypass terrestrial networks for end-to-end data security and global coverage.

PRESS RELEASE – Rivada Space Networks, a global network company launching a secure, low latency low earth orbit satellite network, has announced a new partnership with Pulsar International (Pulsar), to enable secure connectivity for customers in commercial maritime, Agri-tech, enterprise and government markets. Rivada has now lined up over $US16 billion of business globally for its unique LEO network.

Pulsar’s innovative land mobile and maritime solutions will leverage Rivada’s Outernet to provide resiliency for a range of data connectivity solutions and a new level of cybersecurity for customers that require secure infrastructure in places with limited or no connectivity. The Outernet’s fast, seamless and secure connectivity will ramp up network performance and enable true digital transformation and new business opportunities through multi-gigabit bi-directional performance, combined with worldwide reach.

As the first unified global communications network, the Rivada Outernet is transformative. A next-generation low-Earth orbit satellite constellation designed to provide gigabit-speed connectivity to any point on the globe, without needing to touch the public internet or any third-party infrastructure. Combining inter-satellite laser links with advanced onboard processing and unique routing and switching capabilities, this optical mesh network, in which data stays in space from origin to destination, creates an ultra-secure network with pole-to-pole coverage, offering end-to-end latencies much lower than terrestrial fiber over similar long distances.

For Enterprise and Government customers, the key attributes of the Outernet are ideal for a variety of applications, for example, to give banks and global companies secured networks with distributed offices, provide significantly more bandwidth for oil & gas exploration than is available today, enable seamless connectivity for shipping & fleet management, or provide 5G satellite backhaul connectivity network expansion for cellular operators. And with the continued expansion of the data-center market to be AI-ready, data resiliency and security are paramount for future-ready infrastructure and integrated systems that adhere to the highest standards of safety and privacy.

Robert Sakker, President and CEO of Pulsar said: “By bringing Rivada’s innovative satellite internet capabilities to the Pulsar Network, we’re empowering businesses, agencies, and organizations with unprecedented connectivity options regardless of their location. This integration represents our commitment to delivering cutting-edge communication solutions that enable our partners to reach previously underserved markets with reliable, high-speed internet service.” 

Declan Ganley, CEO of Rivada Space Networks, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Pulsar to provide a secure backbone to develop communications infrastructure in remote locations. Rivada’s Outernet is what data communications has been waiting for – a game-changing constellation which re-defines connectivity in terms of security, latency, capacity, efficiency, and coverage. As a completely new type of LEO constellation, the Outernet can provide any region in the world with a next-generation digital infrastructure for secure, resilient communications and network expansion.”

• A RAND study finds that China’s military views Starlink and other U.S. low Earth orbit constellations as major threats, prompting the rapid development of a Chinese megaconstellation called Project SatNet.
• The People’s Liberation Army sees Starlink as a model for resilient battlefield communications and believes it could support missile defense and offensive operations despite limited public evidence.
• RAND analysts warn that Chinese perceptions of U.S. space dominance are deeply entrenched, making escalation dynamics in space more volatile as China builds countermeasures and expands its own satellite network.

Space is fast becoming a contested military frontier as China races to match and counter U.S. satellite networks in low Earth orbit (LEO).

According to a new RAND report, PLA strategists now view LEO constellations — especially SpaceX’s Starlink — as integral to U.S. warfighting doctrine, and that is influencing Beijing’s mobilization of its own megaconstellation, dubbed Project SatNet, as both strategic parity and a direct countermeasure ​.

PLA Sees Starlink as Strategic Threat

The study, written by by Howard Wang, Jackson Smith and Cristina L. Garafola, finds that PLA observers assume U.S. policy, military doctrine and private-sector launches are tightly coordinated steps toward space dominance. PLA analysts equate Starlink with resilient, proliferated LEO (pLEO) architectures. This strategy relies on the scattering hundreds or thousands of small satellites to ensure network survivability under attack. China regards these constellations as proof of U.S. “hostile intent” to integrate space into joint combat operations, the analysts report. This perspective hardened after Starlink’s real-world utility in Ukraine in early 2022, crystallizing LEO’s perceived military value.

“PLA scholars appear to assess that the United States’ pursuit of military dominance in space reached an inflection point between 2018 and 2022, exhibited by new doctrine and highly threatening new capabilities in LEO, such as Starlink,” the team writes.

PLA threat assessments extend far beyond internet service. Analysts contend that Starlink’s vast network could enable rapid battlefield data processing, resilient communications for aircraft and precision navigation, and even act as an anti-ballistic-missile layer or co-orbital interceptor — functions that exceed publicly acknowledged Starlink capabilities . Such estimates rest on assumptions that Starlink satellites carry electronic-warfare payloads or maneuverable debris shields capable of intercepting missiles, despite little open evidence for such features.

Mapping the Data

To illuminate how senior PLA thinkers and technical experts collectively interpret evolving U.S. space policies and prototype systems, the RAND team surveyed more than 120 open-source Chinese sources, supplemented by state media and industry writings​. (More on the researchers’ methods below.)

Their analysis identifies three core drivers shaping PLA threat perceptions of Starlink:

1. Hostile Intent, rooted in a long-standing PLA view that U.S. space activity pursues unchallenged dominance.
2. Disruption of PLA Operations, as pLEO constellations undercut China’s preferred strategy of neutralizing key orbital nodes.
3. Strategic Instability, given fears that space-based networks could erode China’s nuclear deterrent or conventional balances.

Smaller influences include concerns that Starlink’s commercial internet could evade Chinese information controls and that U.S. satellite suppliers might capture market share in emerging space economies.

Rising China’s SatNet Ambition

In direct response, China has elevated development of its own LEO megaconstellation — dubbed Project SatNet — to national strategic priority status. Established under state-owned China SatNet Co. in 2021, the program is charged with fielding thousands of satellites by the mid-2020s to ensure broadband internet access and military resilience ​. Officials and party cadres have framed SatNet as essential for self-reliance, likening its importance to China’s Beidou navigation system.

More than that, according to the report, China’s efforts to build a megaconstellation are a countermeasure to Starlink.

They write: “The most significant Chinese countermeasure to Starlink appears to be making the development of a corresponding Chinese LEO megaconstellation called Project SatNet a national priority. In addition to acquiring a countermeasure to Starlink, China’s development of Project SatNet is likely motivated by the fear of falling significantly behind U.S. capabilities in space. This dynamic is not unique to Starlink and can be. observed in China’s response to other U.S. capabilities in LEO, such as the spaceplane X-37B.”

Project SatNet’s scope and pace reflect Beijing’s urgency: multiple experimental satellites have already launched, and partnerships with major state firms and PLA-affiliated contractors signal military requirements for command, control and sensing missions. Despite early technical hurdles — such as achieving cost-effective manufacturing and launch comparable to U.S. levels — the state backing and integration with commercial space firms point to accelerated development timelines.

Soft-Kill and Space–Fence Countermeasures

PLA researchers have also proposed an explicit five-part counter-Starlink plan, stressing both technical and informational measures:

• Erect a Chinese “Space Fence” radar network to track the hundreds of Starlink satellites in LEO.
• Catalog Starlink deployments by launch batch to simplify monitoring.
• Demand SpaceX provide precise orbital data for early warning of close approaches.
• Develop “soft-kill” capabilities — ground-based lasers, high-power microwaves or cyber tools — to disable reconnaissance payloads or jam communications.
• Deploy a comparable large-scale Chinese constellation to occupy orbital slots, monitor Starlink and contest its operations ​.

These proposals show that the PLA struggles to target a diffuse constellation with traditional direct-ascent antisatellite weapons. By emphasizing soft-kill tools and mirror constellations, the PLA seeks workarounds to suppress Starlink without triggering full kinetic exchanges.

Disinformation at the UN

Beyond technical plans, Beijing has waged a diplomatic and media campaign to portray Starlink as destabilizing, according to the RAND analysts. Chinese delegates to United Nations space safety meetings have alleged — without evidence — that Starlink satellites endanger China’s Tiangong space station and block developing nations from LEO orbital tracks. State media have repeatedly called for new international rules on “space traffic management” to constrain proliferated constellations ​.

These information efforts feed domestic narratives of U.S. technological aggression and bolster calls for Chinese regulatory responses, despite U.S. offers to share collision-avoidance data. The study highlights this propaganda push as a nonkinetic front in the space competition. A nonkinetic front refers to areas of conflict where nations compete or fight through cyberattacks, electronic warfare, space operations, or information campaigns, without using direct physical force.

Crisis Dynamics in Space

The RAND report cautions that PLA counterspace operations against a resilient U.S. constellation may be seen as less escalatory, raising the risk of provocative acts in orbit. On the other hand, U.S. strikes on Chinese satellites before SatNet is fully operational could be viewed by Beijing as highly escalatory​.

The analysts recommend that U.S. planners avoid costly efforts to mollify Chinese perceptions — since PLA views of U.S. hegemonic intent are deeply entrenched — and instead prepare for an environment where Beijing believes it can act more boldly in space with limited escalation risk. Policies for rapid attribution, allied communications and hardened commercial partnerships will be vital to deter miscalculations.

The team writes: “DoD and the USSF should anticipate and be prepared to counter disinformation campaigns directed toward both government and commercial U.S. assets. The CCP and PLA make little, if any, distinction between public and private assets in space and consider the commercially owned Starlink to be a tool of U.S. military power.”

Study Methods, Scope and Limits

The analysts based their research primarily on authoritative Chinese Communist Party (CCP) media and official People’s Liberation Army (PLA) documents, especially materials from the PLA’s professional military education (PME) curriculum. When official sources were unavailable, they prioritized research from Chinese scholars and practitioners affiliated with key institutions shaping PLA doctrine, such as the Academy of Military Science (AMS), the National Defense University (NDU), and the Aerospace Engineering University. They also included insights from PLA personnel in space-related positions.

To supplement this, the analysts reviewed less-authoritative materials from Chinese defense contractors, like the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), which provide information on relevant technologies and industrial capabilities. In total, they examined about 120 journal articles and 10 PME textbooks, focusing on terms like low Earth orbit (LEO), small and micro satellites, Starlink, and resilient space. This methodology aimed to capture the perspectives of China’s senior leadership while maintaining broad technical coverage.

By design, the analysis relies exclusively on open Chinese sources and does not incorporate PLA internal communications or classified data. This limitation leaves open questions on the true technical maturity of proposed countermeasures and Project SatNet’s operational readiness. Moreover, developments since September 2024—such as new PLA doctrine or satellite tests—may outpace the report’s findings.

Looking Ahead

Future work should track Project SatNet’s first operational launches and any dual-use payload demonstrations. Observers ought to monitor Russian attempts at jamming Starlink in Ukraine, as PLA authors have cited those incidents as validation of soft-kill approaches. Additionally, the pace of U.S. pLEO expansion — including military Starshield payloads — will shape Beijing’s threat calculus and inform the next round of counterspace planning.

For a deeper dive into the topic and recommendations, please read the RAND report.