China just leveled up its space game! The country successfully launched its 16th batch of low-Earth orbit internet satellites on December 12, 2025, using the slick new Long March-12 rocket. This morning’s fiery liftoff from Hainan Province marks another leap in building a space-based web that could eventually give Elon Musk’s Starlink some serious competition.
💡 Why it’s lit: The Long March-12 is like the Tesla of rockets – designed for maximum efficiency with its horizontal assembly system. This space hauler can deliver 12 tonnes of tech to orbit (that’s like 6 electric SUVs worth of satellites!) while cutting prep time between launches. Perfect for the TikTok-speed demands of satellite internet deployment.
📈 Big picture: With this fourth successful flight, China’s on track to dominate the LEO internet race. The rocket’s scheduled to become a frequent flier over the next five years, potentially changing how we stream K-dramas and video call across continents.
🚀 Fun fact: This launch was the 616th mission for the Long March series – proving China’s playing the long game in the new space economy. Who needs superhero movies when real-life rocket science is this cool?
