China to tap growing commercial space sector to launch megaconstellations

Helsinki China will use the country’s anticipated launch capabilities in the emerging commercial space sector to help realize its megaconstellation plans.

This move will help traditional state-owned enterprises focus on civilian and military projects, including manned space, military and lunar exploration programs, while also improving China’s overall launch and space capabilities to achieve national strategic goals.

China has outlined plans for two separate low-Earth orbit communications megaconstellations in response to projects such as SpaceX’s Starlink and OneWeb. These include the country’s State Grid Project (SatNet), which consists of about 13,000 satellites, and the Shanghai-backed G60 Starlink initiative, which raised 6.7 billion yuan ($943 million) earlier this year. More than a hundred are planned to be launched this year, but thousands will need to be launched in the coming years to ensure the frequency is used.

It now appears that new launch capabilities being developed by commercial players will play a key role in putting planned satellites into orbit, according to China Central Television (CCTV).

The report states that China needs to act quickly before low-Earth orbit becomes saturated with other players in terms of spacecraft in orbit and the frequencies claimed and used. Given the dominance SpaceX and its reusable rockets have achieved over the past decade, this approach is seen as meeting China’s new need to expand its launch capabilities while still meeting existing national civilian, military, scientific and deep space missions needs.

Officials have previously said contracts for satellite internet mega-constellations would be opened to commercial players as part of a broader national new infrastructure policy.

Commercial launch companies in China began to emerge around 2015 after the central government decided to open parts of the space sector to private capital. While early launch efforts focused on smaller, simpler solid rockets, the field is maturing.China’s first commercially developed liquid propellant rockets are set to enter orbit in 2023, and many players are currently developing large, reusable launch vehicles that are now close to providing additional launch capacity

Blue Arrow Aerospace (owns the methane liquid oxygen Suzaku 2 and the planned stainless steel Suzaku 3), Aerospace Pioneer (owns the kerosene-fueled Tianlong 3), Galaxy Energy (Pallas-1) and iSpace (hyperbolic series), etc. The companies are all working on reusable rockets. Meanwhile, Deep Blue Space may conduct its first orbital launch and recovery attempt using a Nebula 1 rocket later this year.

company	rocket name	rocket type	Main features or notes
love space	Hyperbola 3	Methane-liquid oxygen reusable	Payload capacity in low Earth orbit (LEO) is 8,500 kg; first flight is planned for 2025.
land space	Suzaku No. 3	Methoxylin is reusable	Low-Earth orbit payload capacity of up to 21,000 kg; first flight planned for 2025.
Galaxy Energy	Pallas-1	Kerosene-liquid oxygen reusable	The LEO payload capacity is 5,000 kg and the 700 km Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO) payload capacity is 3,000 kg.
Chinese Academy of Sciences Space	Dynamics 2	Kerolox reusable	Payload capacity is 7,800 kg to 500 km SSO.
deep blue aerospace	Nebula One	Kerolox reusable	Payload capacity is 1,000 kg to 500 km SSO; first flight planned for late 2024.
space pioneer	Tianlong 3	Kyrolocs	Launch capability comparable to Falcon 9; planned reusable first stage.
Oriental space	Gravity 2	Crooks	25,600 kg to low Earth orbit. First flight in 2025; reusable first stage planned.
China Aerospace Science and Technology Group	Different kinds	Different kinds	Engaged in research on new-generation manned launch vehicles, space shuttles, Long March 9 super-heavy launch vehicles and other reusable rockets.

Further fueling this trend, commercial space is now also receiving a strong push from China’s central and local governments.

The Central Economic Work Conference held in Beijing in December identified the commercial aerospace industry as one of the strategic emerging industries to be cultivated. The March government work report also prioritized commercial space.

Provincial and municipal governments such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shandong, Hainan, and Anhui have recently launched policies to attract and cultivate commercial aerospace companies. These actions are seen as potential drivers of high-tech growth and innovation, and the commercial aerospace sector is considered to have the ability to stimulate the growth of related industries such as materials science, computer technology, and artificial intelligence.

China’s online rate is growing rapidly

China’s national annual launch rate has increased from a national record of 22 launches in 2016 to 55 in 2022 and 67 in 2023. most launches.

This year, China aims to launch about 100, including about 30 planned by commercial players. So far, only a few of the launches mentioned above are related to China’s megaconstellation plans.

But getting the two megaconstellations launched requires meeting deadlines set by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which coordinates the use of frequencies. For State Grid, China needs to launch the first batch of satellites using all frequencies put into use by 2027, and launch 10% of the total number of satellites by September 2029. September.

Achieving the goals of State Grid and G60 Starlink will require China’s launch activity to grow further, which means both relying on commercial launch suppliers and providing these companies with opportunities to establish themselves.

The relevant person in charge of Blue Arrow Aerospace told CCTV that the next few years will be a critical period in this field: “For domestic commercial rocket companies, the next 5 to 10 years will be a very important period of strategic development opportunities. We must work hard. Seizing this window period will also help our country seize the right to speak in the future aerospace field.

Space port access bottleneck

Although China has greatly improved its small satellite manufacturing and launch capabilities, it faces bottlenecks in access to space launch sites, especially for commercial players next to civilian and military missions.

Two new launch pads dedicated to the Long March 8 rocket and a range of commercial launch service providers have built new engine production capabilities near Wenchang Spaceport on Hainan Island.

According to CCTV reports, the National Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert is planning to build a commercial space launch demonstration area. Companies such as Landspace and Space Pioneer have established their own launch facilities in the region.

Sea launch is another emerging option, while another space launch site may be built near Ningbo in eastern China.

International background and competition

China’s plans and advances raise concerns about capabilities, leadership and international competition among other countries. Meanwhile, the Chinese military claims that SpaceX intends to use Starlink for military purposes after Ukraine defends itself against a Russian invasion. Meanwhile, China has planned two such constellations.

In addition, Chinese commercial launch companies that have proven themselves by launching network satellite missions may eventually position themselves as alternatives in the international launch market, while megaconstellations themselves may become part of a broader struggle for geopolitical influence and Position China as a provider of global infrastructure.

Low-Earth orbit is not the only area where some Chinese officials see the United States competing with and trying to squeeze out China. Wu Yansheng, the former chairman of China’s major state-owned aerospace contractor, said in late 2022 that he believed the United States was seeking to seize strategic resources, including specific orbits, locations and radio frequencies.

In March 2023, another aerospace official called on the country to speed up plans to develop lunar infrastructure or risk missing out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In March this year, China launched the Queqiao-2 lunar relay satellite and two small experimental lunar communication and navigation satellites.

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