- China opens a satellite super factory producing 1,000 units annually.
- The facility enables a rapid assembly-to-launch pipeline, cutting costs significantly.
- Project boosts LEO constellation plans and strengthens China’s space industry.
China is set to activate a satellite “super factory” capable of manufacturing 1,000 units per year – a significant advancement in Beijing’s pursuit to develop low Earth orbit constellations, aiming to eventually compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink.
The center, situated within the Wenchang spaceport in Hainan province of southern China, combines a “factory-to-launch” system that puts together, tests, and matches satellites with rockets. According to the state-run news agency Xinhua, this establishes it as the sole base of its type in the nation and the largest satellite manufacturing center in Asia.
The new manufacturing facility arrives during a surge in China's commercial space industry. Fueled by favorable policies, a rise in private rocket launches and early concepts of space tourism, Beijing is hastening its initiatives to rival the US.
The primary benefit of the facility is the rapidity of its pipeline, potentially lowering costs considerably, according to Xinhua. Due to its closeness to the Wenchang and Hainan commercial launch sites, both located just a few kilometres away, satellites could transition from final assembly to launch pads in hours rather than days.
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The factory, a key project of the Hainan Free Trade Port, is anticipated to aid in the deployment of extensive, low Earth orbit constellations and function as a bonded zone for global satellite data. Local media reported that over twenty upstream and downstream companies have already established operations.
The factory will also underpin support initiatives, including a component manufacturing hub, aiming for 10 billion yuan (US$1.41 billion) in aerospace cluster income by 2027. It has collaborated with the Hainan College of Foreign Studies to educate the initial group of 26 students in satellite assembly and testing, part of efforts to strengthen the production line and generate thousands of skilled jobs throughout the supply chain.