Missile giant targets 20% of market to launch small satellites

China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp, the largest missile maker in the country, is taking aim at 20 percent or more of the small-satellite launch contracts in the world by 2020, company executives said.

"We estimate that from 2017 to 2020, we will send aloft at least 10 solid-fuel carrier rockets each year, to send about 50 small satellites into orbit," said Guo Yong, president of the CASIC Fourth Academy, in an exclusive interview with China Daily in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province. That, he said, would account for "about one-fifth of the estimated total annual missions of solid-fuel rockets around the world in that period".

Guo said letters of intent to use nearly 20 Kuaizhou rockets were signed at the 11th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition this month in Zhuhai, Guangdong province.