On the vast South American continent, where millions of people in remote regions still lack access High speed internetA new technological competition is raging in the heights.
The arrival of SpaceSailThe ambitious Chinese project called Thousand Sails, or Qianfan, is penetrating the Latin American satellite internet market and is in direct competition with Starlink, the service of the company SpaceX, owned by the South African-American tycoon Elon Musk.
This rivalry not only promises to close the digital divide that affects more than 40% of the regional population, according to data from the World Bankbut also raises questions about technological sovereignty and data control in a strategic area for world powers. As Brazil becomes the epicenter of this confrontation, the entire region could be reconfigured on the geopolitical board of connectivity.
The landing in Brazil: A strategic agreement with Telebras
The trigger for this “competition of the skies” in Latin America was the agreement signed between SpaceSail and SpaceSail Telebrasthe Brazilian state-owned telecommunications company. This pact, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, allows for the first deployment of Qianfan terminals in rural areas and the Amazon, where land infrastructure is virtually nonexistent. Telebras, which had already worked with Starlink in 2022, decided to diversify its suppliers amid growing political tensions with Musk.
The political context is crucial. The signing of the agreement coincided with the Chinese president’s state visit Xi Jinping to Brazil, a trip that strengthened bilateral ties amid the summit of G20 member countries.
Lula da Silvawho returned to the Brazilian presidency in 2023 with a national sovereignty agenda, saw SpaceSail as an opportunity to counteract dependence on American suppliers.
Previously, in 2024, there was a public dispute between Musk and the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil – derived from the temporary suspension of Starlink for alleged violations of court orders on free speech – accelerated this move.
Musk accused the Brazilian government of censorship, leading to a review of contracts and a search for “national security” alternatives. The agreement with SpaceSail contains local data protection clauses, aligned with the General Data Protection Act (LGPD) and thus differs from the more global Starlink model.
This landing is no coincidence. Brazil, with its 8.5 million square kilometers and a population scattered throughout the region Amazonrepresents the largest market for satellite internet in the region.
SpaceSail starts with 1,000 distributed terminals via Telebras, with a focus on schools, hospitals and indigenous communities. Government logistics make installation easier: Chinese technicians trained by Qianfan themselves work with locals, reducing costs by 30% compared to direct imports from Starlink.
This pact positions Brazil as a bridge between China and the rest of Latin America, similar to how Chinese company Huawei has expanded its mobile technology. fifth generation (5G).
Lula’s strategy goes beyond connectivity. In a speech after Xi’s visit, the Brazilian president emphasized the “technological diversification“to avoid monopolies, and recalled that US sanctions against Chinese companies pose a risk to Western allies.
SpaceSail, backed by the Beijing government through Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology, offers not only satellites but also soft financing through the Chinese Development Bankwhich reduces the Brazilian tax burden.
Expansion plans in Latin America: Brazil as a gateway
Brazil is not an end point, but the springboard for ambitious regional expansion. SpaceSail aims to achieve this Bolivia and Argentina. In Bolivia, a preliminary memorandum of understanding signed by the Arce government in 2024 envisages 500 initial stations, integrated into the national plan “Bolivia Conectada” and partially financed by Beijing.
The new Bolivian government has not defined the future of this agreement. Argentina, under the presidency of Javier Mileirepresents a more complex case due to its absolute focus on the United States.
This extension is part of the “Digital Silk Road“, the digital extension of the Belt and Road Initiative. This network includes submarine cables, data centers and now satellite constellations, with Latin America as the new front. Qianfan integrates perfectly: its satellites, launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in China, use orbital routes optimized for the southern hemisphere.
In VenezuelaNicolás Maduro’s dictatorial regime is already collaborating with China in telecommunications, and SpaceSail could replace Starlink’s departure after US sanctions. This “gateway” strategy through Brazil leverages agreements between Mercosur and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), in which China is a major investor. By 2026, SpaceSail is targeting 5 million users in the region, competing with Starlink’s current 2 million in Latin America.
Technical characteristics of SpaceSail
SpaceSail is China’s boldest project in low earth orbit (LION). Its constellation is expected to include 15,000 satellites by 2030, surpassing global competitors in size. The first launches took place in August 2024 from Taiyuan, with Long March 6A rockets deploying 18 G60 model satellites. Each G60 weighs approximately 200 kg, is 3 meters long and is equipped with highly efficient solar panels for autonomous operation.
The key technology lies in the frequencies of Ku band (for downloading data), Q and V (for high capacity communication). This enables speeds of up to 500 Mbit/s downstream and 100 Mbit/s upstream, with latency in initial tests being under 50 ms.
Unlike geostationary systems, LEO minimizes delays, ideal for Streaming and telemedicine. SpaceSail emphasizes low costs: terminals at $300 per unit, subsidized by the Chinese state, and monthly subscriptions of $20 to $40, 40% less than Starlink. State-owned logistics include factories in Shanghai for mass production, reducing dependence on global chains.
The G60 satellites operate at an altitude of between 500 and 1,500 km, higher than Starlink’s 550 km range Satellite coverage but it increases the latency slightly (from 20-40ms to 30-60ms). This includes ion engines for deorbitation maneuvers that comply with FCC and ITU space debris regulations. In Brazil, testing with Telebras confirmed 200 Mbps in the Amazon region, surpassing local 4G connections.
Starlink: The market leader
Starlink leads with proven maturity. By December 2025, there will be more than 6,000 satellites in orbit launched from Falcon 9 Florida and California. Its strength is laser links between satellites, whereby data transmission between satellites occurs independently of ground stations and global coverage is achieved even in oceans and poles. Typical speeds are between 100 and 300 Mbps and latency is 20-40 ms.
Starlink is integrated into the SpaceX ecosystem and benefits from rocket reuse, reducing launch costs to $1,000 per kg. The Terminals”Dishy McFlatface“They are user-friendly and have automatic targeting through the application. In Latin America, the company operates in 15 countries with 2 million subscribers.
Key differences: Height, latency and business models
The differences are clear. SpaceSail flies higher (500-1,500 km vs. 340-550 km for Starlink) and covers larger areas per satellite (up to 1,000 square kilometers), but with slightly higher latency due to the greater distance.
Starlink also compensates Laserthereby minimizing transitions between satellites. Qianfan leverages Q/V bands for future capacity in sixth-generation (6G) cellular technologies, while Starlink prioritizes Ka/Ku for immediate deployment.
Business models diverge: SpaceSail is state-owned and subsidized, with Beijing covering 70% of the costs of developing emerging markets. Starlink is private and commercial, profitable with 5 million users worldwide, but vulnerable to Musk’s volatility. Qianfan offers unlimited roaming on the Silk Road, while giving priority to Starlink in the US.
Geopolitical implications
This rivalry goes beyond information and communication technologies. China is trying to take control of SpaceSail Data flows in Latin Americaa region of 650 million people and important resources such as lithium, soybeans and hydrocarbons, gas and metals.
The area was once under US influence and is now criss-crossed by power cables. Huawei and Qianfan satellites. The USA reacts with diplomatic pressure, as in the case of Argentina. In Brazil, the agreement with SpaceSail weakens Starlink’s hegemony and is based on the BRICS countries.
Competition benefits the end consumer: prices of Connectivity could fall, closing the digital divide in remote areas. However, the future depends on balanced regulations.
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