Tag: commercial-space
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RMB 3.8 Billion Investment Planned as Western China’s “Rocket and Satellite” Twin Super Factories Move Toward Tender Stage
According to information released on August 24 by the Shaanxi Provincial Public Resources Trading Center, two wholly owned subsidiaries of Western Aerospace Technology (Shaanxi) Group — Western Satellite Technology (Shaanxi) Co., Ltd. and Western Launch Vehicle Technology (Shaanxi) Co., Ltd. — have disclosed construction tender plans for a satellite super factory and a rocket super…
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CAS Space Moves Toward First Sea Launch of Kinetica-1 After Full Mission Rehearsal
Chinese commercial space company CAS Space has completed a full mission rehearsal for the first sea launch of its Kinetica-1 solid-fuel rocket, bringing the maiden maritime launch closer to execution and validating the ground support architecture required to operate the vehicle from a moving offshore platform. The Aug. 25 rehearsal simulated the launch-day sequence from…
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Kinetica-2 Y2 Completes Factory Acceptance for 18-Satellite Mission Supporting China’s LEO Constellation Buildout
China’s commercial launch provider CAS Space has completed factory acceptance activities for the second Kinetica-2 rocket, clearing the vehicle for shipment to the launch site ahead of a planned October launch. The company said Aug. 25 that Kinetica-2 Y2 had completed all pre-delivery work, with its functional and performance indicators meeting the requirements of the…
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Ares Shield Wins Initial Contract to Protect Lonestar’s Orbital Data Center Satellites
Florida-based Lonestar Data Holdings has selected Polish space security startup Ares Shield to provide protective systems for satellites supporting the company’s emerging orbital data storage infrastructure, marking one of the first publicly disclosed commercial agreements focused specifically on active satellite protection for space-based data centers. Under the agreement, Ares Shield will initially equip three Lonestar…
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China’s Race for Orbit and Spectrum: Hainan’s New Factory Targets 1,000 Satellites a Year
The successful recovery of Zhuque-3 was celebrated across China. From state-owned aerospace organizations to private companies, China’s commercial space sector has achieved a historic breakthrough in rocket recovery technology. Yet while everyone was looking up at the sky, another, less visible part of China’s space strategy was quietly taking shape. June 2026, Wenchang, Hainan Province.…
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STARPATH GLOBAL Showcases Space and Geospatial Intelligence Capabilities at Xinjiang Aerospace and Defense Technology Expo, Exploring New Opportunities for Global Commercial Space Cooperation
Urumqi, Xinjiang, China — The 2026 Xinjiang New Quality Productive Forces and Aerospace & Defense Technology Equipment Expo was held from August 21 to 23, 2026, at the Xinjiang International Convention and Exhibition Center. Under the theme “Empowering Aerospace with New Quality Productive Forces and Strengthening National Defense through Technological Innovation,” the expo focused on…
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China Launches Seven Satellites on One Rocket, Including Thai CubeSat
At 11:21 a.m. Beijing Time on August 25, a Long March 6C carrier rocket lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, successfully placing seven satellites into their designated orbits. The payloads included AIRSAT-14, AIRSAT-15, GISTDA CubeSat 1, Muduo-1A, Muduo-1B, Jing’an Dream Satellite and Bayi-04. The launch marked the 665th flight of China’s Long March…
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Falcon 9’s Final Chapter? SpaceX Plans to Retire Its Workhorse Rocket Once Starship Reaches Full Operational Service
SpaceX is preparing for one of the most consequential transitions in launch industry history: the eventual retirement of the Falcon 9 rocket, the vehicle that transformed commercial spaceflight and established reusable launch systems as an industry standard. According to comments highlighted by SpaceX leadership and reported by Space.com, the company intends to phase out Falcon…
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Beyond Reach Unveils FlareWing Deployable Structures to Bring High-Power Capability to Small Satellites
A new generation of space infrastructure—from commercial space stations to orbital data centers and lunar systems—is driving demand for spacecraft capable of generating far more electrical power than traditional small satellites can provide. Seeking to address that challenge, Beyond Reach Technologies has introduced FlareWing, a family of deployable structural systems designed to dramatically increase the…
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After Long March 10B and Zhuque-3 Recoveries, What Comes Next for China’s Commercial Rockets?
On August 19, 2026, the second Zhuque-3 rocket lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone. Its first stage subsequently returned to a landing pad in Minqin, Gansu Province, marking China’s first land recovery of the first stage of an orbital-class launch vehicle. Just 40 days earlier, on July 10, the Long March…