Shanghai Microsatellite Engineering Center is the core satellite development unit of Qianfan Constellation, and has created many “firsts” in the history of China’s satellite development.
Today let’s talk about:
Commercial Aerospace “National Team”
”——
Shanghai Microsatellite Engineering Center.
1
Shanghai Microsatellite Engineering Center
Shanghai Microsatellite Engineering Center
（
Microsatellite Innovation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences
)host
It is engaged in scientific research, technology development and scientific experiments of small satellites, micro-, nano- and pico-satellites and related technologies. It is the third national team in my country with the ability to develop and produce entire satellites in addition to the Fifth Academy and the Eighth Academy.
2
History
December 2003
Shanghai Microsatellite Engineering Center
The Microsatellite Innovation Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was officially established in September 2017 as the first batch of pilot units for the classification reform of the institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
3
Talent team
As of December 2024, the Shanghai Microsatellite Engineering Center has a total of 903 employees, including 1 national outstanding engineer and 12 people with special allowances from the State Council. It has eight scientific research departments, four support departments and a key laboratory for satellite digital technology.
4
Industrial layout
Shanghai Microsatellite Engineering Center implements “
One hospital and two areas
“Operation model, in which “one institute” refers to the Microsatellite Innovation Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and “two districts” refers to the Lingang Park Headquarters and Zhangjiang Park.
The Lingang Park covers an area of 125,000 square meters, including 7 satellite assembly halls and a satellite smart factory, which can undertake the development of more than 50 tonnage satellites at the same time.
The Zhangjiang Park covers an area of 27,000 square meters, including a mass characteristics test area, a mechanics test area, a space environment test area and a satellite assembly plant. It can undertake the development of 10 ton-class satellites at the same time.
5
satellite products
As the main force in my country’s scientific satellite field, the Shanghai Microsatellite Engineering Center has successfully launched 167 satellites, including the Beidou-3 networking satellite, the world’s first quantum science experiment satellite, and the dark matter particle detection satellite.
Among them, the quantum science experimental satellite Micius was successfully launched on August 16, 2016, which was my country’s “humanity’s first step” in satellite quantum communications.
6
Thousand Sails Constellation
Thousand Sails Constellation is launched in Shanghai
commercial aerospace
of
Large satellite internet constellations
, as of February 2025, four groups of 72 networking satellites have been launched, of which Group 01, Group 03 and Group 06 are manufactured by the Shanghai Microsatellite Engineering Center.
7
Helping commercial aerospace
In addition to the Qianfan Constellation, the Shanghai Microsatellite Engineering Center began to undertake research on commercial aerospace projects as early as 2018. Facing the huge market demand for commercial aerospace, the Shanghai Microsatellite Engineering Center designed a pulsating production line to achieve low-cost, high-efficiency, industrialized satellite production and help my country’s commercial aerospace development.
