China accelerates commercial space push, eyeing in-space manufacturing

The China National Space Administration has underscored the need to encourage commercial space development, with a focus on emerging sectors such as space-based computing power and in-space manufacturing, to deeply expand commercial application scenarios and strive for closed-loop business models, according to the news released on Monday.

Vice-Minister of Industry and Information Technology and CNSA Director Shan Zhongde chaired an enterprise roundtable in Beijing on Tuesday, which gathered leaders from 14 commercial space enterprises covering rocket development, satellite manufacturing, commercial launch services, satellite telemetry, tracking and control, constellation construction, and satellite applications.

Discussions centered on development strategies, challenges and recommendations related to research and production, licensing and access, launch applications, frequency coordination, in-orbit operations, and application promotion.

The meeting called for strengthening strategic planning and standards guidance, improving policies, regulations and standard systems for the commercial space sector. It urged fully leveraging the role of specialized standardization committees for civil and commercial space, as well as relevant organizations covering rockets, satellites, launch sites and frequencies.

Efforts should be accelerated in parallel to formulate urgently needed standards, build public service platforms for commercial space, and adopt a "one-stop" approval model to foster a healthy development ecosystem that is both dynamic and well-regulated.

Industrial development capabilities must be significantly enhanced, the meeting said. This requires comprehensive efforts to tackle key technologies, cultivate high-caliber talent, and make forward-looking arrangements for new business types such as space-based computing power and in-space manufacturing. It also stressed deeply expanding commercial application scenarios and striving to achieve closed-loop business models.

Safety and security must remain the bottom line. The meeting demanded strict implementation of the "three musts" safety management principle — ensuring safety in industry, operations, and production — and strengthening precise safety controls across the entire chain and process. It called for compiling quality and safety case studies, drawing lessons from past incidents, enhancing experience sharing and training exchanges, and using high-level safety to underpin high-quality development.

The meeting also highlighted leveraging the advantages of a new nationwide system for mobilizing resources, pooling wisdom and efforts to deepen integration and coordination along the full industrial chain.