Tag: China
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Key Things to Understand About China’s Commercial Space Sector
China’s commercial space industry is entering a phase of rapid development. However, to truly understand where the sector is heading, several underlying factors need to be recognized in advance. 1. Commercial Space Has Become an Industry China “Must” Develop From a broader perspective, one undeniable reality is that global commercial space innovation is, to a…
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LandSpace’s Zhuque-3 Targets Reusable Rocket Milestone in Second Flight Attempt Next Week
The highly anticipated second flight mission of LandSpace’s Zhuque-3 reusable launch vehicle has entered its final countdown. According to launch preparations released by the company, the rocket is scheduled to lift off on August 11, 2026, from LandSpace’s dedicated Launch Pad No. 2 at the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone in Jiuquan, Gansu Province.…
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What Are the “National Team” Forces in China’s Satellite Laser Communication Field?
Satellite laser communication is a communication technology that uses laser light as an information carrier and free space as a transmission channel to establish high-speed data links between satellites, or between satellites and the ground. Compared to traditional microwave communication, laser communication boasts significant advantages—such as large bandwidth, high transmission rates, strong anti-interference capabilities, and…
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China’s Smart Dragon-3 rocket successfully launches 2 satellites from sea
HAIYANG, Shandong, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) — A carrier rocket launched from waters off east China’s Shandong Province Wednesday has sent two hyperspectral satellites into orbit, which are expected to support high-precision observation in China and large-scale monitoring of land and sea worldwide. The Smart Dragon-3 (SD-3) carrier rocket blasted off at 10:38 a.m. (Beijing Time)…
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China Commercial Space Monthly — July 2026: China’s Commercial Space Sector Enters a Phase of Scaled Capability Building
Key Assessments This Month China’s commercial space sector is entering a phase of building capabilities at scale. Several commercial launch companies are advancing the development and testing of reusable rockets and rocket engines. The focus of industry competition will shift from “whether a company can succeed” to “whether it can operate reliably, efficiently, and at…
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Chinese Long March-8A rocket launches new internet satellite group
China sent a new batch of internet satellites into orbit Tuesday from a commercial spacecraft launch site in the southern island province of Hainan. A Long March-8A carrier rocket, carrying the 23rd group of the low-orbit internet constellation, blasts off from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in Wenchang, south China’s Hainan Province, Aug. 4,…
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From Spectral Fingerprints to Target Prioritization: How Hyperspectral Satellites Support Mineral Exploration
According to the International Energy Agency’s Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026, global critical mineral exploration spending fell by more than 10% in 2025. Exploration spending on lithium and nickel declined by around 45%, while spending on copper remained broadly stable. This increasingly cautious investment environment stands in contrast to the persistent long-term pressure on critical…
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The Key Forces Shaping the Space Economy: Who Is Really Growing—and Who Is Just Telling a Story?
If launch costs have fallen to a fraction of their level 20 years ago, why has the global space economy not grown at the same pace? Over the past decade, reusable rockets have reduced the cost of reaching orbit by an order of magnitude, while the number of satellites launched has increased severalfold. Yet the…
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The New Space Race Will Be Won by Commercial Satellites
Over the past decade, commercial space has transformed satellites from “national-level missions” into industrial products that can be mass-produced and deployed on demand. As thousands of low-Earth orbit broadband, remote-sensing and navigation satellites form interconnected constellations, space has acquired the characteristics of infrastructure for the first time. It can continuously provide connectivity, observation and positioning…
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China’s Commercial Space Sector: 2026 Mid-Year Review
China maintained a high launch cadence in the first half of 2026, while its commercial space sector built on the growth momentum of 2025 and continued to strengthen its industrial fundamentals. By the end of June, China had conducted 44 space launches and placed a total of 223 satellites into their designated orbits. The commercial…