China raises stakes in SpaceX internet rivalry, claims higher orbit for first SkyNet satellite

The first satellite in China’s ambitious Smart SkyNet broadband internet constellation – intended to rival Elon Musk’s Starlink – was launched into medium Earth orbit on Thursday.

The satellite, known as Zhihui Tianwang-1 01 or Smart SkyNet-1 01, left the Xichang satellite launch centre in southwestern China at 9.43am Beijing time atop a Long March 3B rocket.