HELSINKI — Beijing is scaling up its commercial space ambitions with new policies, infrastructure investments, and potentially record-setting launch targets, as announced at a conference last week.
The Beijing Commercial Space Industry High-Quality Development Conference opened Feb. 12, which also saw the settling of eight laboratories in the city. The labs focus on areas ranging from the design reusable space transportation system and developing and applying rotating detonation propulsion technology, to satellite internet applications and satellite interconnection and control. The labs are aimed at fostering innovation and collaboration within the industry, according to Xinhua.
Held in Beijing Yizhuang (Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area), the conference highlighted cutting-edge technology, strategic policies and industry collaborations that are shaping China’s commercial space developments.
The event, themed “Together, building dreams in space,” highlighted the rapid progress and innovation within the sector and encompassed the commercial space industrial chain, from rockets to satellite communications. It showcased a number of commercial launch vehicles that have already reached orbit. While some of the companies behind these are headquartered in Yizhuang, production, testing and other facilities are often spread around the country.
The district claims that 13 commercial rocket launches by companies settled in Yizhuang took place in 2024, with over 80 satellites placed into orbit. Beijing hosts the headquarters of companies including Landspace, Galactic Energy, iSpace and Space Pioneer.
It also boasts the highest concentration of commercial internet satellite companies in China, and the overall Yizhuang commercial sector is reported to have surpassed 35 billion yuan ($4.9 billion) in 2024. Its goal is to establish Beijing Yizhuang as China’s commercial space hub and a world-leading space industry innovation center.
Beijing also announced the establishment of a satellite internet industrial park, aiming to accelerate the growth of satellite internet technologies and infrastructure.
The moves follow an action plan announced last year to support the development of the commercial space sector in Beijing. This itself is part of a wider range of local and provincial-level initiatives across China to help spur on the growth of the commercial space sector.
Commercial satellite operator GalaxySpace also conducted a live demonstration of a low-Earth orbit (LEO) broadband satellite network, codenamed “Mini Spider,” at the conference. The mobile-to-satellite test connected Tongming Lake Convention Center in Beijing Yizhuang with Bangkok, Thailand. During the real-time video link up, it was noted that GalaxySpace and Thailand’s True Corporation had signed a Memorandum of Understanding Feb. 12 on low-orbit satellite communication technology and other areas.
Expanded goals for 2025
Launch companies based in Yizhuang, also known as Beijing E-town, have set out ambitious launch targets for 2025. Beijing Yizhuang plans to greatly expand its commercial launch capacity in 2025, targeting over 40 launches—more than triple the 13 launches in 2024—with an expected deployment of 130+ satellites into orbit.
Galactic Energy alone plans 14 launches this year, mostly using its Ceres-1 light-lift solid rocket. It also plans a test launch of the larger Ceres-2 no earlier than June, while its first liquid propellant rocket, the kerosene-liquid oxygen Pallas-1, is currently scheduled for a debut launch no earlier than August.
Landspace meanwhile is targeting the first flight of the stainless steel, reusable methalox Zhuque-3 launcher in Q3. It is expected to carry the Haolong reusable cargo space shuttle, which is one of two spacecraft developed through a call from China’s human spaceflight agency for low-cost cargo options to the Tiangong space station.
Space Pioneer is targeting a first Tianlong-3 orbital attempt in May. The company was hit by the near-disastrous static-fire test mishap of its Tianlong-3 first stage last June.
By 2028, Beijing Yizhuang aims to have close to 100 launches per year, Zhang Qiang, secretary of the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone Working Committee, said, according to Jiemian news. This would see nearly 1,000 metric tons of payload to orbit and 2,000 satellite internet spacecraft launched for China’s megaconstellations.
China’s main space contractor, CASC, is expected to reveal overall launch plans for the year before the end of the month. Last year, the country targeted nearly 100 launches, including around 30 commercial launches. It fell well short, reaching 68 launch attempts, still a national record.
However, the apparent backlog and growth of commercial launch plans means CASC is likely to signal a target of more than 100 launches across 2025. An expanded target will be supported by new launch facilities at Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Area at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and the new Hainan commercial launch site near Wenchang. These developments appear to position China to break its commercial and overall launch records in 2025.
