China will use the expected launch capability from its emerging commercial space sector to help achieve its plans for large groups of satellites.
This will allow traditional state-owned players to focus on civil and military programs, including human spaceflight, military and lunar plans. It will also enhance China’s overall launch and space abilities and meet national strategic goals.
China has revealed plans for two separate low Earth orbit communications megaconstellations as a response to projects like SpaceX’s Starlink and OneWeb. Guowang These are the national project, or SatNet, consisting of around 13,000 satellites, and the Shanghai-backed G60 Starlink initiative, which raised 6.7 billion yuan ($943 million) earlier this year. More than a hundred are planned for launch this year, but thousands will need to be in place in the coming years to secure use of frequencies. China will need new launch capability from commercial actors to get the planned satellites into orbit, according to a report from China Central Television (CCTV). It is noted in the report that China needs to act quickly before low Earth orbit becomes full of spacecraft and claimed frequencies used by other actors.
The report acknowledges the dominance achieved by SpaceX and its reusable rockets over the past decade, and sees this approach as addressing new demands for China to expand its launch capacity, while still meeting needs for existing national civil, military, science and deep space missions. report This information comes from China Central Television (CCTV).
Officials have stated that contracts for satellite internet megaconstellations, which are part of a larger national policy for new infrastructures, will be open to commercial players.
The commercial launch companies in China started to emerge around 2015 following a decision by the central government to open up parts of the space sector to private funding. The initial launch efforts focused on smaller, simpler solid rockets, but the sector is maturing. China’s first commercially-developed liquid propellant rockets are expected to reach orbit in 2023, and many players are now working on large, reusable launchers.
Several companies, including Landspace and Space Pioneer, are working on reusable rockets. Meanwhile, Deep Blue Aerospace could make its first orbital launch and recovery attempt later this year with the Nebula-1 rocket.
Landspace is using the methane-liquid oxygen reusable propulsion, and plans to use stainless steel for rockets in the future. Zhuque-2 Space Pioneer uses the kerosene-fueled propulsion. Zhuque-3Galactic Energy (Pallas-1) and iSpace (Hyperbola series) are also among the companies working on reusable rockets. Tianlong-3This information is key to note.
| Company | Rocket Name | Rocket Type | The methane-liquid oxygen reusable rockets have a payload capacity of 8,500 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), with the first flight planned for 2025. |
| iSpace | Hyperbola-3 | Methalox reusable rockets have a payload capacity of up to 21,000 kg to LEO, with the first flight planned for 2025. | Galactic Energy uses kerosene-liquid oxygen reusable propulsion. |
| Landspace | Zhuque-3 | This propulsion has a payload capacity of 5,000 kg to LEO, or 3,000 kg to a 700 km sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). | Kerolox reusable propulsion has a payload capacity of 7,800 kg to 500 km SSO. |
| Deep Blue Aerospace's kerolox reusable rockets have a payload capacity of 1,000 kg to 500 km SSO, with the first flight planned in late 2024. | Pallas-1 | Space Pioneer | Similar to Falcon 9 in launch ability; plans to reuse the first stage. |
| CAS Space | Kinetica 2 | 25,600 kg to Low Earth Orbit. First flight in 2025; plans to reuse the first stage. | Developing reusable rockets such as a new-generation human-rated launcher, spaceplane, and Long March 9 super heavy-lift launcher. |
| Non-comprehensive list of planned Chinese reusable rockets (Credit: Andrew Jones/SpaceNews). | Nebula-1 | Additionally, the strong support from China’s central and local governments is further strengthening this trend in commercial space. | At a conference in Beijing in December and in a government report in March, the commercial space industry was identified as a strategic emerging industry to nurture. |
| Municipal and provincial governments, including | Tianlong-3 | Kerolox | , Shandong, Hainan and Anhui, have recently implemented policies to attract and support commercial space companies. These measures are seen as potential catalysts for high-tech growth and innovation, especially in related industries like materials science, computer technologies, and artificial intelligence. |
| Orienspace | Gravity-2 | Kerolox | China’s rapid increase in launch frequency |
| CASC | Various | Various | The national annual launch rate of China has surged from 22 in 2016 to 55 in 2022 and 67 in 2023. This put China behind only the United States in terms of launches and payload to orbit, with SpaceX accounting for the majority of launches. |
about 100 launches
, with around 30 planned by commercial players. Only a
portion of launches from the above activity have so far been linked to China’s megaconstellation plans. Beijing, ShanghaiHowever, meeting the deadlines set by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for the deployment of the constellations is crucial. For Guowang, China will need to launch the first satellites using all the frequencies by 2027 and 10% of the total number of satellites by September 2029. Half of the satellites for the constellation will need to be launched by September 2032, with the deployment completed two years later.
Meeting the targets for both Guowang and G60 Starlink will require further expansion of China’s launch activities, offering opportunities for commercial launch providers to establish themselves.
The next few years will be critical for domestic commercial rocket companies, said a Landspace official to CCTV: 'The next 5 to 10 years are a very important period for strategic development opportunities for domestic commercial rocket companies. Seizing this window of opportunity will also help our country claim its position in the future of space.'
Spaceport access bottleneck Despite significantly increasing itssmall satellite manufacturing capacity handful and launch capabilities, China faces a bottleneck in accessing spaceports for launch, especially for commercial actors prioritizing civil and military missions.
Two new launch pads are being completed for the Long March 8 rocket at Wenchang spaceport on Hainan island. The rocket has newly built engine production capacity. A range of commercial launch service providers are also close to completion.
close to completion
near Wenchang spaceport on Hainan island.
The national Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert plans to establish a commercial space launch demonstration area, as reported by CCTV. Companies like Landspace and Space Pioneer have already set up their own launch facilities in the area.
Sea launches are an emerging option, while another spaceport may be constructed near Ningbo in Eastern China. are another, emerging option, while another spaceport may be constructed
near Ningbo in Eastern China. International context and competition China’s plans and progress have raised concerns among other nations, in terms of capabilities, leadership and international competition. China’s own military has meanwhile expressed concerns that SpaceX intends to use Starlink for military purposes as a response to Ukraine’s defense against the invasion of Russia. China also plans two such constellations.
Furthermore, Chinese commercial launch companies that demonstrate their capabilities through launching internet satellite missions could eventually position themselves as alternatives in the international launch market. The megaconstellations themselves could also be part of a broader, geopolitical struggle for influence and position China as a provider of global infrastructure.
Low Earth orbit is not the only area where some Chinese officials perceive the United States as competing and attempting to push out China. Former chairman of China’s state-owned main space contractor, Wu Yansheng, stated in late 2022 that he believes the U.S. is attempting to seize strategic resources including specific orbits, locations, and radio frequencies. In March 2023, another space official urged the country to accelerate its plans to develop lunar infrastructure, warning that it risks missing a unique opportunity. China launched its lunar relay satellite and a pair of small experimental lunar communications and navigation satellites in March. China will use the anticipated launch capacity from its emerging commercial space sector to help realize its megaconstellation plans. near Ningbo in Eastern China.
International context and competition
China’s plans and progress have raised concerns among other nations, in terms of capabilities, leadership and international competition. China’s own military has meanwhile claimed that SpaceX has intended for Starlink to be used for military purposes in the wake of Ukraine’s defense against the invasion of Russia. At the same time, China plans two such constellations.
Furthermore, Chinese commercial launch companies that prove themselves through launching internet satellite missions could eventually position themselves as alternatives on the international launch market, while the megaconstellations themselves could be part of a wider, geopolitical struggle for influence and position China as a provider of global infrastructure.
Low Earth orbit is not the only area in which some Chinese officials see the United States as competing with and trying to force out China. Former chairman of China’s state-owned main space contractor, Wu Yansheng, said in late 2022 that he believes the U.S. is seeking to seize strategic resources including specific orbits, locations and radio frequencies.
In March 2023 another space official called for the country to speed up its plans to develop lunar infrastructure or miss out on a never-to-be-repeated opportunity. China launched its Queqiao-2 lunar relay satellite and a pair of small experimental lunar communications and navigation satellites in March.
