Commercial satellite network taking shape

Starpool aims to serve business needs across wide range of industry sectors

Editor's Note: China's aerospace sector was a focus during the just-concluded two sessions, the annual gathering of the country's top legislature and top political advisory body, as the sector partly reflects the latest developments and direction in China's science and technology. China Daily interviewed industry experts to share their insights on several hot topics in the field.

Ellipspace, a private satellite company in Beijing, is working to establish a vast satellite network in low-Earth orbit that will be able to serve a wide variety of businesses from oilfield and electricity grid monitoring to emergency response and disaster relief, according to the company's top executives.

Called Starpool, the network will consist of more than 100 satellites and is scheduled to be completed by 2027, Di Fengping, president of Ellipspace and a senior spacecraft scientist, told China Daily in an exclusive interview in Beijing.