Do you know how many satellite companies there are in China?
From state-owned enterprise giants undertaking major national projects to private upstarts focusing on niche fields, what is the R&D strength of satellite companies? Which city has the most satellite companies in my country?
Today, Nihao Space will use a set of data to give you a comprehensive overview of the number and pattern of China’s satellite companies in 2026.
01
How many satellite companies are there in China?
According to the latest statistics from Nihao Space, as of now: there are 66 satellite companies in China.
(Note: The satellite companies counted in this article only refer to the overall units with the overall design and integration capabilities of the entire satellite. Although some constellation operating companies have strong capabilities in the definition of system solutions, if they do not actually undertake the overall development tasks of the entire satellite, they are not included in this statistics and are instead classified as engineering groups.)
These 66 companies are not evenly produced. in:
There are a total of 6 satellite companies established before 2014 (all of which are state-owned enterprise holding companies), accounting for about 9%;
2018 became a hot year for satellite entrepreneurship, with 8 new companies, accounting for about 12%;
A total of 13 satellite start-up companies will be established after 2024, accounting for about 20%.
In 2025, there will be only 4 new satellite companies, and the number will drop significantly. As the GW State Grid Constellation and Qianfan Constellation enter the large-scale networking stage, the satellite Internet-driven entrepreneurial window period is gradually coming to an end.
02
What is a satellite company?
Before discussing how many satellite companies there are in China, we must first clarify what a satellite company is.
In the statistics of Nihao Space, satellite companies specifically refer to companies that have the overall design and development capabilities of the entire satellite and are responsible for the delivery of the entire satellite. It does not include companies that make payloads and components, as well as engineering groups that only operate constellations but not complete satellites.
1. “Overall” is the core threshold of satellite companies
“System Integrator” means the top-level design and overall planning of the satellite’s entire life cycle. It is not just building a satellite, but also includes mission and program definition, system architecture design, sub-system integration, and entire satellite testing and delivery.
2. Constellation operating companies with “overall capabilities”
However, with the development of commercial aerospace, the overall definition is constantly being expanded and revised. In the constellation era, “satellite overall” companies have begun to expand into constellation operations, data services and other fields. They usually focus on payload capabilities, and then develop the full chain integration capabilities of the satellite industry from payload research and development – whole satellite integration – constellation construction – satellite operations – data services, forming a vertical own ecosystem. Representative companies are Changguang Satellite and “Jilin-1 Constellation”.
Although these companies are more labeled as “constellation operations”, they are also the backbone of China’s overall satellite enterprise.
03
Spatial distribution: Beijing is the first satellite city in China
From a geographical perspective, industry concentration is extremely high: 66 satellite companies are distributed in 16 provinces/municipalities across the country. Among them, the top five provinces/municipalities are: 18 companies in Beijing, 11 companies in Shanghai, 9 companies in Zhejiang, 6 companies in Shandong, and 4 companies in Hunan, totaling 48 companies, accounting for approximately 73% of the country.
Judging from the overall distribution of satellite companies, Beijing is still China’s unshakable “number one aerospace city” and the first choice for “a new generation of commercial satellite companies”. Among the 13 start-up satellite companies established after 2024, 4 have landed in Beijing, tied with Shanghai for the most in the country.
04
Panoramic interpretation of industry structure
If we still use the traditional “communication, navigation, remote sensing” classification, it is meaningless. Most satellite companies can technically cover multiple missions at the same time. The real difference is: what role it plays in the industry chain.
1. Whole-star manufacturing type
This type of satellite company takes “overall design” and “system integration” as its core competitiveness, and is currently the largest company in the entire market. Customer relationships and cost advantages are the core of its survival, and it is more prominent in production capacity layout and industrialization capabilities.
Representative companies include: Jinan Satellite, Gesi Aerospace, Juntian Aerospace, Blue Arrow Hongqing, Gongda Satellite, Shanghai Commercial Star, Galaxy Aerospace, Micro-Nano Star, etc.
2. Constellation dominant type
A full-industry chain overall enterprise refers to an enterprise that has formed a complete satellite industry chain layout from “payload development-whole satellite integration-constellation construction-satellite operation-data services”. These companies not only have autonomy in the upstream core manufacturing industry, but are also infrastructure builders and providers of data services. Their core advantages include three points: independent frequency rails and technology, controllable costs, and control of user traffic entrances.
Representative companies include: Oriental Starlink, Zhongke Xiguang Aerospace, Yunyao Aerospace, Spacetime Daoyu, Nationsat Aerospace, Changguang Satellite, etc.
3. Capability spillover type
The so-called capacity spillover refers to those companies that were originally engaged in upstream load manufacturing or downstream scenario application industries, but were forced by the rapid development of market demand to extend into the entire satellite. Representative companies include: Zhongke Satellite, Maya Technology, Yuncheng Satellite, Zhongke Xingrui, Novi Beidou, Disatellite, etc.
4. Start-ups and companies to be verified
Start-up satellite companies refer to those overall satellite companies established after 2024. Some of these companies have been established too short and their capabilities have not yet been fully verified, which remains to be seen. There are 13 companies in total, accounting for 20%.
Including: Western Aerospace Technology, Yongxing Aerospace, Spectrum Aerospace, Dongsheng Aerospace, Xingyuan Zongheng, Xinghan Aerospace, China Commercial Star, Xuntian Qianhe, Taiyi Weixing, Xingmu Exploration, Bailing Aerospace, National Star Dongyue, and Xinghong Aerospace.
05
The “national team” in the satellite community
The 66 satellite companies counted in this article do not include national research institutes and model units. But this does not mean that they are unimportant. On the contrary, the national team has the strongest overall capabilities and the most complete engineering system, and is the source of talent and technology for the entire industry.
Including: Shanghai Microsatellite Engineering Center, Communication and Navigation Headquarters of the Fifth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology, Remote Sensing General Department of the Fifth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology, 513 Institutes of the Fifth Academy, 529 Factory of the Fifth Academy, 509 Institutes of the Eighth Academy, 805 Institutes of the Eighth Academy, 812 Institutes of the Eighth Academy, and the Space Engineering General Department of the Second Academy of Aerospace Science and Industry.
However, they usually serve as executors of national missions and rarely participate in commercial satellite missions, or they will focus on national projects in the future. Therefore, it will not be highlighted here.
06
A new track is taking shape
1. Driven by satellite Internet, the window for whole-satellite entrepreneurship is closing
With the accelerated networking of the two giant satellite Internet constellations of GW State Grid and Qianfan Constellation, the pattern of China’s satellite manufacturing industry is gradually taking shape. Two major trends are quietly blocking the channels for latecomers to carve up the dividends of the “satellite Internet industry”.
1) The national team’s commercial company system has gradually matured. As a whole-satellite manufacturing enterprise established specifically to serve commercial aerospace, China Star is likely to be the largest whole-satellite supplier of StarNet in the future. The super satellite factory it is building in Wenchang, Hainan is about to be put into production and can produce 1,000 satellites annually. As for the Qianfan Constellation, its entire satellite development work is mainly undertaken by Shanghai Weiwei and Gesi Aerospace.
2) The echelon structure of private satellite companies is gradually taking shape. In January 2026, Galaxy Aerospace’s second batch of star network launch missions were successfully launched; Changguang Satellite, Micro-Nano Starry Sky, Industrial University Satellite, etc. have also completed the development or verification of experimental satellites; Hongqing Technology’s star network experimental satellite was rolled off the assembly line in Xiongan. There are fewer and fewer opportunities left for other satellite companies.
2. Two new tracks are taking shape
Although satellite Internet dividends tend to be concentrated, new demands are emerging:
1) The construction of space situational awareness system is urgent
As the number of low-orbit constellation launches continues to increase globally, satellite on-orbit safety has become an important factor affecting the healthy development of the satellite industry. Space situational awareness, as the basic capability to ensure the safe operation of satellites in orbit, has become an indispensable part of future constellation operations.
Mega-constellation operating companies such as StarNet have launched tenders for this service. In addition, many emerging companies have begun to deploy in this area, such as Aotian Technology’s Gander debris monitoring constellation, Star Map Measurement and Control’s “Star Eye” space sensing constellation, Tianjin Star View Kyushu’s Listening Constellation, Kaiyun United’s “Xinghan Plan”, etc.
2) Space computing power is becoming a cutting-edge exploration direction
Space computing power is regarded as the “next satellite Internet.” With the development of AI technology, humankind’s demand for computing power scale has greatly increased. The current factors that restrict the scale of computing power on the ground are mainly “electricity” and “fresh water” resources. The inexhaustible solar energy resources and low-temperature environment in space perfectly solve these two major constraints.
At present, China is actively deploying space computing power, and the pace of progress of some projects is at the forefront of the world. For example, the National Star Aerospace “Star Computing” plan has completed the networking of 12 satellites in the first constellation; the Orbital Sunlight Plan launches and deploys a gigawatt-level space data center in the earth’s morning and evening orbits, and is expected to launch its first test satellite this year.
Conclusion
China’s overall satellite enterprise has grown rapidly. From the initial state dominance, to the rise of commercial power, to today’s differentiation and reorganization, it is gradually moving towards a more mature stage.
Next, the question that really determines the industry structure is: Who can deliver continuously? Who can grasp the demand? Who can travel through the cycle?
The answer may only belong to a few companies.
