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China's ambitious plans to rival SpaceX's Starlink with its own massive satellite constellations are significantly behind schedule. While aiming for nearly 27,000 satellites, China's two main networks have deployed less than 1% of their planned numbers. This lag is attributed to a lack of reusable rockets, a key technology SpaceX utilizes to reduce costs and increase launch frequency. Although China is investing heavily in space and aiming for a large commercial market, the absence of a reliable reusable rocket is hindering its progress, leaving SpaceX firmly in the lead.

Prepared by Jonathan Pierce and reviewed by editorial team.