Recently, the Measures of Beijing Municipality to Support the Development of Satellite Networks (hereinafter referred to as the "Measures") was released. It proposes to focus on the development of commercial liquid rockets, commercial satellites, ground terminal equipment, core software and hardware, system operation control, operation services, and other key links in the satellite network industry and the Beidou industry, with the aim of stimulating business innovation and promoting the development of the "two zones". Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (BDA) takes on as many as 14 tasks among the total 26.
The Measures were circulated quickly on the WeChat of those who work in the commercial spaceflight industry, many of whom are based in BDA. "Among the 26 tasks specified in the Measures, BDA is responsible for 14." Experts who have long been following the development of BDA's satellite network industry said, "Most of the well-known domestic commercial rocket companies are in BDA, where there is also a strong presence of the integrated circuit industry and high-end manufacturing industry, all of which underpins Beijing's effort to develop the rocket industry in Southern Beijing and satellite industry in the north, as well as the satellite network industry."
In fact, with the continuous upgrading of the industrial clusters in BDA, the commercial spaceflight industry, as a technology and capital-intensive industry in the ascendant, has become a focus of BDA's effort of incubating and cultivating emerging industrial clusters. In 2012, under the support and guidance of the national policies, the first batch of commercial rocket companies, represented by Land Space Technology Corporation Ltd. (Land Space), emerged in China. Since 2018, the commercial spaceflight industry in BDA has been gathering momentum. It has developed key links in the commercial spaceflight industry such as rockets, satellites, and key components and gathered more than ten commercial space innovation companies including Galactic Energy, Land Space, and Beijing Zhongke Aerospace Exploration Technology Co., Ltd (CAS Space).
On November 7, 2020, "Ceres-1 (Y1)" carrier rocket, which was independently developed by Galactic Energy, a company based in BDA, was successfully launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. It was the first time that the vector solid thrust control was used on private commercial launch vehicles, and also the first time that China's private commercial rocket entered 500km sun-synchronous orbit. A number of technological innovations were successfully applied for the first time, such as the active de-orbit and passivation of the upper stage, vertical self-targeting, the simple control technology with low fuel consumption, and the attitude and orbit control power system with low chamber pressure, high specific impulse and high loading ratio.
Liu Baiqi, CEO of Galaxy Energy, revealed that apart from breakthroughs in solid rockets, the company also performs well in liquid rockets, as it has developed the first 50-ton-thrust reusable liquid oxygen-kerosene engine, which adopts innovative technologies including the multiple-counterflow vortex unique-configuration gas generator, coaxial double suction turbo pump, and pintle injector.
Land Space, which is adjacent to Galaxy Energy, is currently the only private spaceflight company in China that independently masters all the core technologies of medium-sized liquid oxygen and methane engines. Zhuque-2 launch vehicle is the first medium-sized liquid methane-liquid oxygen fueled rocket in China. From November 13 to 17, 2020, Land Space successfully completed the joint test run of the second-stage engine of Zhuque-2 rocket. The rocket engine used in this round of test runs is a combination of 80-ton and 10-ton "Tianque" liquid oxygen and methane engines.
"Having independent control of core technology is the principle guiding our innovation activities." Said Zhang Changwu, CEO of Land Space. Data shows that as of December 2020, Land Space had applied for more than 380 patents (including authorized patents) and nearly 30 software copyrights, including 64 invention patents and more than 130 utility model patents.
In the field of satellite development, Beijing ZeroG Space Technology Co., Ltd. (ZeroG Lab), which often cooperates with rocket companies in BDA, has completed the on-orbit delivery of six satellites, and many other of its satellites are ready for delivery and will be launched in 2021. ZeroG Lab took the lead in proposing Magpie Constellation, the first fully self-developed remote sensing satellite in China and plans to complete the first phase of the network within this year. In addition, relying on multi-sensor remote sensing data and its self-developed Magpie AI, ZeroG Lab has been providing high-frequency remote sensing monitoring services in many regions in China.
On top of that, a number of commercial spaceflight companies such as CAS Space, Jiangsu Deep Blue Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing Space Trek Technology Co., Ltd., JiuZhou Yunjian (Beijing) Space Technology Co., Ltd., and S-Motor have made progress in many fields. The "Rocket Street" of BDA has gathered great gravitational pull for talents and capital in the commercial spaceflight industry. A dynamic and influential industrial ecology has taken shape.
As more companies of the industry gather in BDA, the area has redoubled its effort in cultivating the supporting industries such as ground equipment, satellite operations and services. Companies like BOE Sensing Technology, Beijing SANETEL Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd., and Beijing UniStrong Science & Technology Corporation Limited are developing with great momentum.
A person in charge from BDA said that functioning as a base for commercialization of scientific and technological advances, BDA has nurtured a strong electronic information and intelligent equipment industry and witnessed continuous upgrading of the four leading industrial clusters, all of which paves the way for satellite network to become a key industrial cluster in BDA. The regional industrial plan puts great emphasis on the satellite network industry and supporting policies are being formulated. In addition, BDA focuses on cultivating the entire industry chain, builds R&D and production bases, strengthens scenario construction, promotes cross-industry collaboration, and introduces relevant incentive policies based on consultation, with a view to creating an enabling business environment that supports innovation and collaborative research for the satellite network industry.
In the next step, BDA will stick to the high-end positioning of the satellite network industry and build up an enabling ecology by continuously enhancing the basis of the industry and modernizing the industrial chain. By doing so, BDA aspires to further consolidate Southern Beijing's strength in launch vehicles and contribute to the development of the "two zones". According to the person in charge, BDA will provide all-round support for R&D and innovation in policy, funds, talent, specialized organization, industrial base, and common platform to encourage clustered development of the satellite network industry, making it a new pacesetter for Beijing's economic growth.
