City playing key role in China's aerospace ambitions

China's 10th Space Day was launched in Shanghai on Thursday, spotlighting the city's key role in advancing the nation's aerospace ambitions.

The event, co-hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the China National Space Administration (CNSA), and the Shanghai government, drew representatives from 40 countries and regions, and 15 international organizations, including Thailand as this year's guest nation.

Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng emphasized the city's commitment to fostering a world-class aerospace ecosystem, pledging to deepen public-private partnerships and accelerate the integration of space technologies into urban modernization.

CNSA Administrator Shan Zhongde echoed this vision, stressing innovation-driven growth and global collaboration in space exploration.

Key announcements included the signing of lunar sample-sharing agreements with five international institutions under the Chang'e-5 mission, the launch of the Fengyun Space Weather System, and the unveiling of Shanghai's new policies to cultivate a commercial aerospace manufacturing cluster.

These moves align with China's broader strategy to compete for leadership in low-Earth orbit satellite networks, a global race intensified by rivals such as SpaceX's Starlink.

Private firms took the stage as symbols of Shanghai's growing space cluster.

Shanghai Spacesail signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Thailand's National Telecom during the event.

The two sides will deepen collaboration in commercial space and low-Earth orbit satellite Internet services to support Thailand's digital economy.

The company launched 18 satellites on one rocket on March 12, making its Spacesail Constellation China's answer to Starlink. It now runs 90 satellites in five orbital planes.

The Spacesail Constellation will provide low-latency, high-speed, and reliable satellite Internet worldwide. It aims to cover areas where ground networks are weak or unavailable, such as deserts, oceans, plateaus, skies, and mountains.

"We will close the digital gap with reliable satellite links," said Lu Ben, senior vice president of Shanghai Spacesail Technologies Co.

Using its own satellites, terminals, and customized services, the company will support sectors including transport, new energy, smart cities, agriculture, emergency response, and low-altitude economy, with fast, real-time, secure, and stable connectivity, according to Lu.

Shanghai Genesat Aerospace Technology Co Ltd designs and manufactures satellites for the Spacesail Constellation. It stands as the city's first large-scale commercial satellite manufacturing company.

The company's key innovations include flat-panel satellites with standardized and modular design, large lightweight and flexible solar wings, and its intelligent-manufacturing factory, said Wen Meijin, vice general manager.

The G60 factory in Shanghai's Songjiang District, in service since December 2023, can manufacture 300 satellites per year. A second phase, backed by a billion yuan investment, will build a pulsating production line to make 150 ton-class satellites and a total of 600 satellites annually.

Wen said Genesat's satellites blend communication, navigation and remote-sensing functions for cost-effective performance.

"Our modular design and automated production lines let us scale rapidly," she said.

A global leader in high-precision navigation satellite chips, ComNav has achieved breakthroughs with its 22-nanometer manufacturing process, surpassing Western competitors still using 130nm technology.

This advancement enables centimeter-level positioning accuracy for applications including drones, autonomous vehicles, and intelligent agricultural systems.

While domestic chips currently empower 95 percent of the global high-precision navigation market, ComNav has exported its chips to over 140 countries, including Belt and Road Initiative partner countries.

Senior Vice President Sun Zhonghao said the company's high-precision chips, which maintain positioning accuracy within one centimeter, now support drone operations requiring automated takeoff and landing across multiple locations.

Manufacturers across consumer, logistics, and agricultural drone sectors have adopted these chips to enhance positioning performance. The company anticipates overseas sales will continue growing this year by focusing on B2B markets in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.

Sun confirmed ComNav will implement localized production strategies to mitigate global trade risks while intensifying research efforts to ensure chip compatibility with emerging low-Earth orbit satellite networks.

Shanghai currently hosts over 240 aerospace firms and produces 50 rockets and 600 satellites a year.

The city aims to produce 100 commercial rockets and 1,000 satellites annually by 2027, positioning itself as a hub for reusable rockets, low-cost satellite manufacturing, and space applications.

The China Space Day program will run more than 40 events in Shanghai, including the International Conference on Space for Climate Change and the 2025 China Space Conference.

The city will also host workshops on earth observation, satellite Internet applications and space science education.
pace Day of China, launched in 2016, has held major events across the country to promote aerospace spirit and public engagement.

This year's theme – "Where Sea Meets Moon, We Embrace the Stars" – reflects China's call for peaceful space use and shared benefits for all humanity.