1. Industrial ecological construction
Taking the Kennedy Space Center as an example, the main approach is to use the advantages of the launch site to promote the layout of industries nearby, rely on major transportation roads to create a circle layout, and ultimately form a high-tech industrial cluster with a total output value of hundreds of billions of dollars. The core circle of 0-5 kilometers mainly gathers the final assembly, integration and testing facilities of Boeing, Lockheed Martin (United Launch Alliance), Northrop Grumman, Blue Origin and other giants, which can directly support launch activities. The middle circle of 5 to 15 kilometers gathers thousands of second- and third-tier suppliers, including precision manufacturing, electronic components, software development, engineering services, materials science companies, etc., providing components, subsystems and technical support to core enterprises. It also gathers a large number of R&D centers, mission control centers and data analysis companies. The outer circle of 15 kilometers and above mainly develops tourism, higher education (such as Florida Institute of Technology), real estate, business services, catering and accommodation, etc. The model of the Kennedy Space Center has successfully verified that the space launch site can attract and cultivate an industrial cluster with high concentration, division of labor and collaboration, and full of innovative vitality through its strong launch demand. Domestically, the country most likely to learn from this industrial development model is Wenchang, Hainan, which can rely on the Wenchang Space Launch Site and the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site to form a complete industrial chain closed loop from rocket manufacturing, satellite research and development, launch services, on-orbit operations to data analysis.
2. Construction of technology transfer mechanism
By comprehensively optimizing the policy environment for technology transfer and transformation, the United States has established a mature and efficient technology transfer and transformation system, successfully transforming state-invested cutting-edge aerospace technology into a powerful engine that drives economic and industrial innovation. In 1980, the United States introduced the Bayh-Dole Act, which stipulates that patent rights for inventions produced by federally funded R&D projects can be owned by contractors (such as universities, research institutions, and enterprises). In the same year, the United States introduced the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act, requiring federal laboratories to make technology transfer one of their core missions and establish a dedicated technology transfer office. In addition, the U.S. National Space Policy encourages the procurement of commercial space services and provides a clear and stable legal and regulatory framework for commercial space activities. Together, these laws create a policy environment in which “whoever invents, benefits”, allowing innovators to clearly see the value of the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, thereby proactively promoting technology to the market. It is through this method of promoting the transfer and transformation of achievements that the United States has stimulated the innovative vitality of the aerospace industry, causing the U.S. aerospace industry to form a virtuous cycle of “the country explores cutting-edge technologies → technology spills over to private enterprises → the commercialization of private enterprises feeds back the country’s aerospace strength”, which greatly stimulates the efficiency and innovation of enterprises. For our country, while maintaining the core strategic tasks of the national team, it liberalizes some businesses, introduces the innovative vitality of the market mechanism, and combines the “state-led” institutional advantages with the “market-driven” efficiency advantages. Ultimately, a positive interactive pattern of “the national team focuses on cutting-edge technology exploration and construction of major core projects, and the commercial aerospace force focuses on market application and technology diffusion” will better promote the aerospace industry to empower the high-quality development of our economy.
3. Innovative business service models
The U.S. government has adopted measures such as purchasing commercial services on demand, establishing a joint government-enterprise investment and financing system, and opening up and sharing infrastructure through the principle of “negotiation wherever possible” to innovate commercial service models and support the development of commercial aerospace companies. The first is to purchase commercial services on demand based on the principle of “negotiation is possible”. After entering the 21st century, the United States has gradually changed the previous model in which aerospace products were designed, built, and operated by the government itself. Instead, it has shifted to prioritizing the purchase of ready-made commercial services that can meet needs from commercial aerospace companies, thereby supporting the development of commercial aerospace companies. For example, NASA purchases astronauts and cargo transportation services from companies such as SpaceX and Boeing through the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) and Commercial Crew Program (CCP); the U.S. military leases a large amount of satellite communication bandwidth from commercial aerospace companies. The second step is to establish a joint investment and financing system between government and enterprises. The U.S. government introduces a variety of financial instruments to share the early development costs and technical risks of private aerospace companies, but the government does not fully bear all costs. For example, in the COTS program, NASA only pays relevant contract payments to SpaceX after it reaches certain technical milestones (such as the successful completion of power system trials, orbital flight tests, etc.). And although the government will provide some R&D funds, companies also need to allocate part of their own funds to ensure that the project can truly be successful and the effectiveness of government funds. Through this series of measures, the U.S. government forces private aerospace companies to continuously optimize processes and carry out technological innovation to win government contracts. Finally, there is the sharing of infrastructure. The U.S. government will open test benches, wind tunnels, launch stations and other infrastructure to vetted commercial companies, lowering the threshold for business startups. For example, the U.S. Air Force allows companies such as SpaceX to use Kajiao’s launch facilities and provide them with measurement and control, security control and other related services. Through this series of measures, the U.S. government has successfully integrated the government’s grand strategic needs, the military’s technical standards and procurement capabilities, and the innovative efficiency and market vitality of private aerospace companies, forming a powerful “military-civilian-commercial development synergy” and consolidating its global leadership in the aerospace field. Generally speaking, for our country, on the basis of giving full play to our country’s institutional advantages of “concentrating efforts to do big things”, we should gradually explore and stimulate the innovative vitality of the market’s “let a hundred flowers bloom”, build a new paradigm of “military-civilian-commercial” integrated development with Chinese characteristics, and ultimately achieve the dual improvement of national strategic capabilities and commercial market competitiveness.
