Jakarta, Sketsa.id – China is accelerating the construction of a “satellite city” on the outskirts of Beijing, a dedicated hub for satellite manufacturing and operation, driven by the rapid growth of its commercial space industry.
According to Beijing Daily, the core area of this project covers 145,000 square meters and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026. The move is seen as a strategic step to enhance large-scale space industry development, where commercial activities are increasingly taking center stage.
Currently, launches by private Chinese companies account for more than 60 percent of total launches in the country. Many private firms are also preparing for initial public offerings. Gao Yibin, Head of Strategic Research at Future Aerospace, believes China’s commercial space market is approaching a trillion yuan in value.
This growth is driven by faster launch approvals, increased localization of components, and the influx of large-scale capital from industrial funds. Key sectors expected to drive growth include low-orbit satellite networks, satellite internet, space computing, and integrated space-earth 6G connectivity. These are seen as new infrastructure foundations for the future space economy.
Instead of fragmented development, the “satellite city” adopts a concentrated industrial cluster model, similar to the concept of Silicon Valley in the United States. The goal is to create economic value through resource sharing. The area offers more than 10 shared services for businesses, including vibration testing, thermal vacuum testing, and layer separation.
Sharing infrastructure significantly lowers entry barriers for space startups, optimizes cash flow, and shortens time to market. This model also facilitates more efficient flow of talent, capital, and technology across the industry. Early success has quickly attracted investment. Currently, more than 40 commercial space businesses have joined the pilot area. Experts consider this a transition from experimental phases to large-scale industrialization, aiming to build a complete ecosystem for the space industry.
Global Competition and the Race to the Moon
China’s commercial ambitions come amid growing competitive pressure globally. China aims to conduct about 140 orbital launches in 2026, a significant increase from 92 launches in 2025 and 68 in 2024. However, the United States still leads with 193 launches in 2025, with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 alone carrying out 165 missions.
This race is not just about launch numbers but also about setting global standards in the space sector. One strategic target is the Moon’s South Pole region, believed to contain water ice, a vital resource for long-term missions. While NASA recently completed its Artemis II lunar orbit mission and targets a moon landing in 2028, China has announced its intention to send humans to the Moon by 2030.
Dean Cheng, an expert on Chinese space and security programs, stated that whichever nation first establishes a long-term presence on the Moon will have a significant advantage in shaping future standards—from technology and data to operational rules. In this context, the construction of the “satellite city” reflects China’s long-term strategy to restructure its entire industrial infrastructure in preparation for the emerging space economy era. (*)
