China’s commercial space industry is on the cusp of unprecedented growth, with plans underway to create a favorable environment and expand its scale through standardized supervision and management. A senior official from the China National Space Administration (CNSA) emphasized this commitment at a recent press conference in Beijing.
“China will continue to promote the healthy and rapid development of its commercial space industry,” said Lyu Bo, deputy director of the Department of System Engineering of CNSA. He highlighted that the industry has entered a new stage, referencing last year’s Central Economic Work Conference and this year’s government work report, both of which underscore the importance of nurturing strategic emerging industries like commercial space.
Currently, China boasts nine types of commercial launch vehicles ready for service, and several enterprises are constructing satellite constellations comprising around 100 satellites. Additionally, the nation’s first commercial launch site is under construction, signaling significant infrastructural advancements.
The press conference also previewed the upcoming Space Day of China on April 24, with major events slated to take place in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province. Guo Bin, a government official from Hubei, reported that the total output value of the commercial space industry and related sectors in the province reached 56 billion yuan (approximately $7.74 billion) in 2023.
“Hubei is home to over 300 commercial aerospace and related industry enterprises,” Guo noted. “We have established a complete industrial chain covering rocket and satellite development, ground equipment support, and satellite operation services.”
Space technology in Hubei is being widely applied across various fields, including natural resources management, emergency services, ecological protection, transportation, agriculture, forestry, water conservancy, and the development of smart cities. The integration of communication, navigation, and remote sensing satellite technology with 5G and artificial intelligence presents broad prospects for future development.
Guo also detailed significant developments such as the commercial rocket industrial park, a flexible intelligent production line for small satellites, an integrated satellite data platform for public service, and high-precision BeiDou navigation application chips.
Yao Qing, an official with the Wuhan municipal government, shared insights into the strategic goals of the Wuhan National Aerospace Industry Base. “We aim to achieve the coordinated development of the whole industrial chain by focusing on new launch vehicles, satellite platforms and payloads, ground and terminal products, satellite internet, space-based internet, and other fields,” Yao explained.
China’s commitment to advancing its commercial space industry not only signifies its ambitions in space exploration but also highlights opportunities for investors, businesses, and researchers worldwide. The rapid growth in this sector is expected to have a significant impact on the global space industry landscape.
Reference(s):
Rapid rise of China's commercial space industry expected to continue
cgtn.com
