In the satellite Internet system, phased array antennas are changing from “high-end communication equipment” to a key capability that determines whether the entire network can operate for a long time.<\/p>\n
Today we will learn about: 10 new tracks for commercial aerospace in 2025 – satellite phased array antennas. <\/p>\n
Whether it is SpaceX\u2019s Starlink, China Star Network\u2019s GW constellation, or Yuanxin Satellite\u2019s Qianfan constellation, phased array antennas have become the mainstream solution for satellite-to-ground communication links.<\/p>\n
But before discussing “satellite phased array antenna”, there is an often overlooked but extremely important fact: this is not a single track, but two subdivision directions with completely different engineering logic, business models and industry thresholds.<\/p>\n
01<\/p>\n
What is a phased array antenna<\/p>\n
Phased array antenna is an advanced satellite communication antenna system that electronically controls the beam direction without physically rotating the antenna. It has the advantages of high flexibility, wide scanning angle range, and high reliability. <\/p>\n
1. Classification of phased array antennas<\/p>\n
Depending on the design, it is divided into two categories: active phased array and passive phased array. Passive phased arrays have only a central transmitter and receiver. Phase shifters are located between the antenna units and the central transceiver and are used to control the beam direction. The structure is relatively simple and the cost is low, but the functionality and reliability are not as good as active phased arrays.<\/p>\n
2. Phased array antenna components<\/p>\n
A complete satellite phased array antenna usually includes an antenna array composed of multiple independent antenna units arranged according to certain rules, radio frequency components, radio frequency network, power supply, beam control board and structural parts. Among them, the antenna array and radio frequency components are the core components of the satellite phased array antenna. Among them, radio frequency components have the highest value, accounting for about 50% of the total cost.<\/p>\n
RF components contain several basic components, such as duplexers, filters, phase shifters, power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers (LNA), analog-to-digital converters (ADC) and digital-to-analog converters (DAC). These components are usually integrated into various types of chips through special processes, including radial multi-channel chips and radio frequency front-end chips.<\/p>\n
3. Satellite phased array antenna industry division<\/p>\n
In the context of commercial aerospace, “satellite phased array antenna” is not a single track.<\/p>\n
Depending on the deployment location and engineering constraints, it is divided into at least two subdivision directions with completely different technical paths, business logic, and industry thresholds: one is satellite-based phased array antennas, and the other is ground-based phased array terminal equipment.<\/p>\n
02<\/p>\n
Why Phased Array Antennas<\/p>\n
Irreplaceable in satellite internet?<\/p>\n
Whether on the satellite or on the ground, phased array antennas essentially solve the common problems faced by low-orbit satellite Internet:<\/p>\n
Low-orbit satellites have short orbital periods and fast movement speeds. Continuous tracking and rapid switching must be achieved between the ground and satellites. Traditional mechanical antennas have obvious bottlenecks in terms of response speed, reliability and multi-satellite coordination.<\/p>\n
Phased array antennas use electronic scanning and multi-beam capabilities to achieve:<\/p>\n
Continuous and stable tracking of low-orbit satellites: No wear of mechanical parts improves reliability, and the distributed antenna unit design also minimizes the impact of single component failure on the system.<\/p>\n
Multi-satellite simultaneous communication and fast switching: The orbital period of low-orbit satellites is about 90-120 minutes. To achieve uninterrupted continuous communication between the ground and satellites, fast tracking and switching must be achieved. Phased array antennas not only cover a wider range, but can also work with multiple beams at the same time. One antenna can track multiple satellites at the same time, achieve multi-satellite collaborative communication, and support millisecond-level switching.<\/p>\n
Dynamic coverage of different areas and services: Phased array antennas can dynamically adjust the beam coverage area according to real-time user distribution by adjusting the beam direction and shape to improve bandwidth utilization and regional service capabilities.<\/p>\n
03<\/p>\n
global market size<\/p>\n
When it comes to the development of the global satellite phased array antenna industry chain, SpaceX\u2019s Starlink plan has to be mentioned. As a template for the global satellite Internet industry, Starlink directly promotes the large-scale application of phased array antenna technology in the field of satellite communications.<\/p>\n
1. Satellite-borne phased array antenna: high threshold, engineering-intensive track<\/p>\n
As the largest low-orbit constellation with the fastest engineering pace at present, each Starlink satellite is equipped with four active phased array antennas, two of which are used to communicate with ground terminals and two with ground stations.<\/p>\n
Currently, Starlink has launched more than 10,700 satellites and has more than 9 million ground subscribers. According to its phased array antenna chip supplier STMicroelectronics, the company has supplied more than 5 billion radio frequency antenna chips to SpaceX since 2015.<\/p>\n
The significance of Starlink is not that it uses a phased array, but that it proves that active phased array antennas can achieve large-scale, long-term, and stable operation in low-orbit constellations. This has also directly raised the engineering standards of global spaceborne phased array antennas.<\/p>\n
2. Ground phased array terminal: great potential in scale, but business paths are still being explored<\/p>\n
Compared with the satellite terminal, the ground phased array terminal occupies a larger volume in the overall phased array market, but the application structure is more complex.<\/p>\n
The core uncertainty lies in:<\/p>\n
Whether costs can continue to decline;<\/p>\n
Whether the application scenario is high enough;<\/p>\n
Whether it can truly replace existing terrestrial communication methods.<\/p>\n
3. Global market size<\/p>\n
Currently, in the market size of phased array antennas according to public statistics, ground terminals and military radars account for the main proportion. Although spaceborne phased arrays account for a small proportion, their single-machine value and technical threshold are the highest.<\/p>\n
The global satellite phased array antenna market size will be approximately US$1.93 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach US$8.1 billion in 2034, with a compound annual growth rate of approximately 15.6%. The industry is showing an explosive growth trend. The main driving factor for growth comes from the continuous increase in the construction of low-orbit broadband satellite Internet constellations in various countries around the world.<\/p>\n
04<\/p>\n
Domestic current situation and major players<\/p>\n
With the construction of the GW State Grid and the Qianfan constellation, domestic satellite phased array antennas are moving from small-scale customization to large-scale standardized mass production. It is mainly divided into two camps, namely the Star Network System and the Thousand Sails Constellation System. In general, both the satellite terminal and the ground terminal field are in a “chaotic war” stage, with dozens of companies competing for the market of the two major constellations.<\/p>\n
1. Satellite-borne phased array antenna: dominated by the national team, with a small number of private enterprises entering the field<\/p>\n
Satellite-borne phased array antennas are currently one of the subdivisions with the highest technical threshold and the highest engineering risks in China. Under the GW State Grid constellation system, suppliers are usually required to have on-orbit verification and engineering reliability; the Qianfan constellation system uses more private and commercial enterprises to verify the reliability of the innovative supply chain.<\/p>\n
Major players include:<\/p>\n
CETC Institute 54: In-depth layout in low-cost spaceborne phased array antennas and highly integrated baseband and beamforming chips;<\/p>\n
504 Institute: The core force of my country\u2019s spaceborne antenna and space data transmission system, participating in the development of multiple types of complex communication satellites;<\/p>\n
29th Institute of CETC: Deep accumulation in the overall technical field of electronic information control;<\/p>\n
Huawei: core supplier of StarNet satellite-borne phased array antennas;<\/p>\n
The 14th Institute of CETC: the birthplace of China’s radar industry, has successively undertaken key tasks in many national key projects such as two bombs and one satellite, manned spaceflight, the Three Gorges Project, the lunar exploration project, and national defense equipment informatization;<\/p>\n
CITIC: It has a series of products and technical service capabilities such as satellite-borne base stations, satellite-borne phased array antennas, and ground gateway stations, and is deeply involved in the on-orbit verification and network construction of my country’s low-orbit satellite Internet;<\/p>\n
Galaxy Aerospace: It has spaceborne phased array antenna integration capabilities and participates in low-orbit broadband communication test constellations;<\/p>\n
Suzhou Bohai, China Thunder and Electric Technology, Jingji Communications, Shanghai Hanxun, Sibeitu, etc. are also entering the direction of spaceborne phased array subdivision at different levels.<\/p>\n
2. Ground phased array terminal: Transition from engineering capabilities to productization<\/p>\n
Compared with the satellite terminal, the ground phased array terminal is closer to the logic of communication equipment and electronic products. The focus of competition is shifting from “can it be done” to “can it be scaled up, low-cost, and rapid iterated”.<\/p>\n
Major players include:<\/p>\n
China Electronics Technology Institute 54: the first telecommunications technology research institute established in New China, released the world’s first Ka-band four-antenna four-simultaneous beam transmitter chip. It can realize simultaneous transmission of four independent beams, providing core hardware support for miniaturized and low-cost phased array systems;<\/p>\n
Shenzhen Feisi: Has experience in satellite communications and 5G millimeter wave phased array engineering;<\/p>\n
503 Institute: Highly ranked and winning bids for multiple satellite network terminal projects. The temperature-adaptive Ku-band four-beam phased array receiver chip developed by it has achieved excellent stability in the extreme temperature range of -40\u00b0C to 85\u00b0C;<\/p>\n
CITIC: Deeply involved in the construction of the national satellite Internet terminal system focusing on satellite-ground integration, it is one of the satellite network terminal suppliers;<\/p>\n
Nanjing Kongwei: Focus on satellite communication products and operation services. The main products include satellite communication network management systems, portable satellite communication terminals, vehicle-mounted, ship-mounted, airborne, Internet of Things terminals, etc., which are compatible with both high orbit and low orbit;<\/p>\n
These five companies belong to the first echelon and have received the largest number of orders from StarNet. In addition, there are also many manufacturers of Yuanxin and Xingwang systems who are “following and researching”, such as:<\/p>\n
Star Network Application Company, Chongqing Liangjiang Satellite: terminal and system support units within the Star Network system;<\/p>\n
Higer Communications: It has mature product lines in the fields of satellite communications and military terminals;<\/p>\n
Xunyi Satcom: Founded in Chengdu in 2015, its independently developed and produced flat-panel satellite Internet series terminals have successfully sold thousands of units to overseas markets;<\/p>\n
CEC Panda: Known as the cradle of China\u2019s electronics industry. The company is a leading provider of information and communication solutions in China;<\/p>\n
ZTE: The world’s leading provider of integrated communications and information technology solutions, one of the suppliers of Yuanxin ground phased array terminals;<\/p>\n
Tongyu Communications: Founded in 1996, it focuses on the R&D, production and sales of communication antennas and radio frequency devices, and its core services are global 2G-5G network construction;<\/p>\n
Zhongke Xingchen: The core product is various types of satellite communication terminal equipment. It has completed the design, research and development, testing and other related work of the “Qianfan Constellation” phased array terminal, and won the first place in the first public bidding for Yuanxin satellite application terminal.<\/p>\n
3. Core components<\/p>\n
In the spaceborne phased array antenna system, the radio frequency chip and T\/R module are currently the core and one of the most difficult engineering points. Relevant players mainly include: CETC 13 and 55, as well as some companies with RF chip capabilities and gradually entering the aerospace field, such as Chengchang Technology, Chenxin Technology, Zhenlei Technology, White Box, Thunder Micron, Jikai Microwave, etc.<\/p>\n
From an engineering perspective, the difficulty of spaceborne T\/R chips does not lie in basic circuit design, but in aerospace-grade engineering capabilities, including:<\/p>\n
Radiation resistance and single event effect protection<\/p>\n
Thermal design and packaging reliability under high power density conditions<\/p>\n
Working consistency in wide temperature range and long-term on-orbit stability<\/p>\n
System-level consistency control under small batch and multi-model conditions<\/p>\n
Since spaceborne phased array antennas have extremely high reliability requirements and the demand for a single model is limited, T\/R chips usually adopt highly customized solutions, making it difficult to significantly dilute costs through economies of scale. Therefore, in the short term, players with truly stable supply capabilities for spaceborne T\/R chips will remain highly concentrated.<\/p>\n
Future changes in the competitive landscape will depend more on whether a reusable and unified engineering platform emerges after the constellation scale is increased, rather than simply the proliferation of design capabilities.<\/p>\n
05<\/p>\n
Future trends and development bottlenecks<\/p>\n
In 2026, China will have 12 new rocket models making their first flights, including 10 recyclable rockets, which will greatly improve the progress of China’s satellite Internet construction and reduce construction costs. On this basis, the phased array antenna industry will usher in a large-scale deployment stage.<\/p>\n
1. Spaceborne phased array antenna: the most certain growth direction<\/p>\n
The development trend of spaceborne phased array antennas is highly clear, and the core is concentrated in four directions:<\/p>\n
Moving up the frequency band: Evolving to Ka and higher frequency bands to meet the needs of high-throughput and broadband communications<\/p>\n
Highly integrated: chip-based and modular design, reducing weight, power consumption and system complexity<\/p>\n
Engineering reliability enhancement: On-orbit consistency control, long-term stability, and radiation resistance have become core indicators<\/p>\n
Intelligent evolution: deep integration with software-defined antennas and intelligent beam management technology<\/p>\n
Compared with single-point technological breakthroughs, the real focus of competition is shifting to engineering capabilities, including: software calibration and on-orbit optimization capabilities, quality consistency control under mass production, and cost management capabilities under small-scale customization.<\/p>\n
2. Ground phased array terminal: demand determines the upper limit<\/p>\n
Unlike the satellite terminal, the technical maturity of the ground phased array terminal is relatively higher, and its uncertainty mainly comes from the application side. Key variables that determine its commercialization process include:<\/p>\n
Is it capable of long-term stable operation?<\/p>\n
Whether the application scenario forms an irreplaceable demand<\/p>\n
Can costs continue to fall?<\/p>\n
Is the terminal small enough and easy to deploy?<\/p>\n
Against the background of relatively complete domestic high-density terrestrial communication networks and 5G coverage, the demand for consumer-grade and pan-industry terminals still needs time to be verified.<\/p>\n
3. Other technical routes: worthy of attention, but still in early stages<\/p>\n
In addition to traditional active phased arrays, new technology routes such as liquid crystal phased arrays are receiving attention due to their potential cost and mass production advantages.<\/p>\n
At present, in addition to BOE, there are also start-up companies including Hua Magnesium Titanium participating in the layout. But overall, this route is still in the early stages of engineering, and it is difficult to form an alternative solution in a spaceborne scenario in the short term. It is more likely to be the first to verify feasibility in some ground or specific applications.<\/p>\n
Taken together, whether it is a spaceborne phased array antenna or a ground phased array terminal, in order to achieve true large-scale commercialization, the core of competition is no longer “can it be done”, but rather: while ensuring the capabilities of core devices (especially T\/R modules), break through the four engineering bottlenecks of miniaturization, scale, low cost and long-term reliability.<\/p>\n
In the foreseeable period, the certainty of spaceborne phased array antennas is significantly higher than that of ground terminals; while ground phased array terminals still need to wait for the application scenarios to be fully operational before they can enter the large-scale cycle.<\/p>\n
Conclusion<\/p>\n
Compared with mature foreign markets represented by Starlink, China still needs to fill in the systemic gaps from core device unification and standard customization to production capacity planning, reliability verification, design optimization and cost control.<\/p>\n
When the satellite terminal gradually stabilizes and the ground terminal gradually increases its volume, this track will truly enter its main stage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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