China launches the world’s first 6G satellite
6G will enable mobile broadband speeds of Terabits per second compared with 5G's gigabits per second speeds, and China wants to be the world leader in the technology.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2020) 'China launches the world’s first 6G satellite', 311 Institute, 27 November. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/china-launches-the-worlds-first-6g-satellite/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Just as 5G is starting to get off of the ground countries around the world are starting to open up spectrum and race to develop 6G technologies that would push mobile broadband speeds from 5G’s impressive Gigabit speeds to Terabit speeds using high-frequency terahertz waves. And in its quest to dominate both 5G and 6G technology recently the Chinese government announced they’d successfully launched what’s been described as "the world's first 6G satellite" into space to test the technology.
It went into orbit along with 12 other satellites from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the Shanxi Province, and while the global telecoms industry is still several years away from agreeing on 6G's specifications it’s not yet certain what tech the Chinese are trialling or that it will make it into the final standard.
Post on X
The "#UESTC" satellite (Star Era-12), the first #6G test satellite in the world and first one named after the university since its establishment, was successfully lifted off at Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center and entered the scheduled orbit on the morning of Nov. 6. pic.twitter.com/ouM2rpC7pS
UESTC-电子科技大学 (@UESTC1956) November 6, 2020
The satellite also carries technology which will be used for crop disaster monitoring and forest fire prevention.
What this means for your organisation
Treat it as a signal.
The satellite is a test. The telecoms industry is still several years from agreeing on 6G specifications. It is not certain what China is trialling, or that it will reach the final standard. Track the programme, but do not build plans around it yet.
Terahertz hardware is still young.
6G aims for Terabit speeds using terahertz waves. The supporting parts are early. Terahertz travelling-wave tubes sit at TRL 4, with a first product expected in 2035. Terahertz detectors are also at TRL 4. Terabit networks reach wide use around 2038.
Satellites will join the network.
Satellite internet is rated Prepare, with wide use expected around 2030. This satellite also carries tools for crop disaster monitoring and forest fire prevention. One platform can serve both connectivity and monitoring. Leaders should plan for both uses.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Which of our plans depend on 6G arriving by a fixed date?
- Who in our firm tracks 6G standards and spectrum decisions?
- Where could satellite links and monitoring data help our operations?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
6G will enable mobile broadband speeds of Terabits per second compared with 5G's gigabits per second speeds, and China wants to be the world leader in the technology.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity programme, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- View on X → twitter.com
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 27 November 2020. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2020). China launches the world’s first 6G satellite. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/china-launches-the-worlds-first-6g-satellite/
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