WENCHANG, Hainan, March 13 (Xinhua) -- China successfully launched the fifth batch of low Earth orbit satellites for its first commercial satellite constellation from a seaside spacecraft launch site in south China's Hainan Province on Wednesday.

The accomplishment has solidified the constellation's progress toward its goal of global connectivity, Lu Ben, senior vice president of Shanghai Spacesail Technologies Co., Ltd, developer of the satellite constellation, Spacesail, told Xinhua on Thursday.

Noting that the latest launch marks the inaugural mission from the No. 1 launch pad at the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site, Lu said that the development and operationalization of the launch site have enhanced China's capacity for space launches.

"The use of commercial launch facilities will significantly support the speed and quantity of our low Earth orbit satellite constellation development, facilitating a faster establishment of this constellation," Lu stated.

The Spacesail Constellation is China's first mega-constellation to enter the formal networking phase.

According to Lu, the project aims to deploy over 15,000 satellites in three phases. The first phase focuses on 648 satellites that are designed to achieve regional coverage. The second phase expands this network to 1,296 satellites, which allows for global coverage, while the third phase envisions a comprehensive network that offers diversified services.

The latest launch, which deployed 18 satellites in a single mission, underscores China's mastery of the "one rocket, multiple satellites" technology, said Lu.

This innovative approach involves stacking flat-panel satellites, significantly optimizing the use of rocket space and enabling high-frequency launches.

Internationally, Spacesail has been actively promoting the constellation's commercial applications. In November 2024, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with Brazil's state-owned telecommunications company, TELEBRAS, to provide satellite internet services in remote areas across Brazil, according to Lu.

In January this year, Spacesail partnered with Malaysia's satellite operator, MEASAT Global Berhad, to explore collaborative opportunities in satellite management, technology development, and emerging applications like IoT and Earth observation.

The Spacesail Constellation has already demonstrated its capabilities in real-world scenarios.

In January 2025, it successfully supported a maritime communication test on a cruise ship in Hong Kong, showcasing its ability to enhance internet connectivity for vessels at sea.

This marks the first application test following the deployment of the constellation's commercial network, said Lu.

The application testing also demonstrated that the low Earth orbit broadband network based on the constellation can significantly enhance the internet service quality for various marine vessels, including cruise ships, he added.