BEIJING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- China successfully deployed two new satellites into orbit last week aboard the Zhuque-2E Y6 rocket, developed by LandSpace, a private aerospace firm headquartered in Beijing.
The launch marks the latest in a series of successes for commercial space companies based in the capital, highlighting how Beijing's rapidly expanding commercial aerospace sector has become a powerful magnet for innovative enterprises.
Once known primarily as China's political and cultural heart, Beijing is now charting a new course into orbit. The city is actively positioning itself as a premier global hub for commercial spaceflight, with its northern Haidian District serving as the epicenter of this transformation.
A 100-billion-yuan (about 14.7 billion U.S. dollars) aerospace cluster is taking shape in Haidian, covering the entire value chain from satellite design and payload development to constellation operations and data applications.
In a key regulatory milestone, Guodian Gaoke, a local commercial sci-tech firm, recently became the first company nationwide to receive a trial license for satellite Internet of Things (IoT) services. This approval enables the firm to pilot satellite internet operations over the next two years, further cementing Beijing's leadership in this emerging sector.
Guodian Gaoke has already completed Phase I of its Tianqi low-orbit IoT constellation. "Building on Phase I, we are rapidly expanding IoT application scenarios and exploring the consumer market," said Lyu Qiang, chairman of the company. He announced that Phase II construction will begin in the second half of this year, with plans to launch additional satellites to achieve full global coverage by 2028.
The company reflects the broader strength of Beijing's aerospace ecosystem. Today, Haidian alone hosts more than 200 commercial spaceflight enterprises and institutions. Roughly one in every three commercially operating satellites in China originates from the district, and more than 60 percent of the nation's chief satellite designers and system engineers are based there.
Recognizing its strategic importance, Haidian has designated commercial spaceflight as one of its five pillar emerging industries.
Over the next five years, the district aims to secure early advantages in frontier fields such as integrated space-air-ground communications, space-based computing infrastructure, real-time remote sensing constellations, and space tourism. To support these ambitions, it will establish public technology platforms, build space computing networks, and accelerate the development of a dedicated satellite town.
Spanning approximately 540,000 square meters in northern Haidian, the satellite town is slated for completion in the second half of 2026. Its core zone will feature four major functional areas -- satellite R&D, operations, spatial data applications, and a talent community -- alongside three supporting centers for exhibition, exchange, and incubation. The pilot zone has already attracted nearly 50 leading commercial spaceflight companies.
"Haidian is becoming a pivotal landmark on the global commercial spaceflight map," said Zhang Guangming, deputy head of the district. To support this ambition, the district has established a 30-billion-yuan fund for technological growth and commercialization, alongside a public testing service platform for the industry.
Zhang noted that the district has set an ambitious target: achieving over 100 billion yuan in annual revenue from the commercial spaceflight sector by 2030, thereby establishing a world-leading aerospace industry cluster.
According to industry insiders, alongside its southern Yizhuang area -- which anchors the launch vehicle sector with "Rocket Street" and hosts dozens of upstream and downstream firms -- Beijing has strategically shaped a complementary "South Rockets, North Satellites" landscape to sustain momentum and ensure a complete supply chain. These actions are laying the groundwork for a premier global spaceflight hub. Enditem
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