The Chinese mainland is set to accelerate the growth of its commercial space industry, according to recent statements from the China National Space Administration (CNSA). By fostering a supportive environment and expanding industry scales, China aims to position its space sector as a new economic powerhouse.
At a press conference in Beijing, Lyu Bo, deputy director of the Department of System Engineering at CNSA, highlighted the government's commitment to nurturing strategic emerging industries. The Central Economic Work Conference and the latest government work report have underscored the importance of the commercial space industry, signaling a new phase of development.
Currently, nine types of commercial launch vehicles are available, and numerous enterprises are working on satellite constellations, each comprising around 100 satellites. Additionally, China's first commercial launch site is under construction, marking a significant milestone for the industry.
Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province, will host major events for China's upcoming Space Day on April 24. Guo Bin, a Hubei provincial official, revealed that the commercial space industry's and related sectors' total output in the province reached 56 billion yuan (approximately $7.74 billion) in 2023. Over 300 aerospace and related enterprises in Hubei contribute to a comprehensive industrial chain that includes rocket and satellite development, ground equipment support, and satellite operation services.
Space technology is becoming integral to various fields such as natural resources, emergency management, ecological protection, transportation, agriculture, forestry, water conservancy, and smart cities. The integration of communication, navigation, and remote sensing satellite technology with 5G and artificial intelligence presents vast opportunities for future development.
Hubei is also advancing key projects like the commercial rocket industrial park, flexible intelligent production lines for small satellites, integrated satellite data platforms for public services, and high-precision BeiDou navigation application chips. Yao Qing from the Wuhan municipal government emphasized that the Wuhan National Aerospace Industry Base aims for coordinated development across the entire industrial chain, focusing on new launch vehicles, satellite platforms and payloads, ground and terminal products, as well as satellite and space-based internet.
With these initiatives, China’s commercial space industry is poised for rapid growth, driving innovation and contributing significantly to the global aerospace landscape.
Reference(s):
Rapid rise of China's commercial space industry expected to continue
cgtn.com
