Qianfan: China’s answer to SpaceX’s Starlink mega constellation is also threatening astronomy

China has begun construction of a mega constellation that will eventually consist of nearly 14,000 satellites, but the launch of the first 18 is already sparking concerns from astronomers about their impact on the night sky.

The Qianfan mega constellation is intended to beam internet to the ground and rival the likes of SpaceX’s Starlink constellation, which already boasts more than 6000 satellites and has doubled the number of active satellites in space.

When SpaceX first…