China Surpasses Starlink in High-Resolution Space-to-Ground Laser Transmission for 6G Standards

China has made a significant breakthrough in satellite-to-ground laser communication that could pave the way for applications such as 6G, ultra-high-resolution remote sensing, and next-generation satellite positioning technology, according to reports.

Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co, the operator of Jilin-1, the world's largest meter-class commercial remote sensing satellite constellation, announced that during tests conducted over the past weekend, it achieved an ultra-high-speed image data transmission rate of 100 gigabits per second.

The company stated that this achievement, which is ten times faster than the previous record, was realized between one of the 117 satellites that make up the Jilin-1 constellation and a truck-mounted ground station.

According to Wang Hanghang, the head of the company's laser communication ground station technology, this advancement positions Chang Guang Satellites ahead of Elon Musk's Starlink: "Musk's Starlink has introduced a laser inter-satellite communication system but has not yet activated laser satellite-to-ground communication. We believe we can possess this technology, but we are already starting large-scale deployments. By distributing these laser communication units across all satellites in the Jilin-1 constellation, we aim to enhance their efficiency and connect 300 satellites to the network by 2027."