The exhibition hall of the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, based in the Zhong'an Chuanggu Technology Park in the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone, showcases several striking black blocks formed by melting lunar soil using concentrated solar power. These bricks are made by the lab's independently developed lunar soil 3D printing system, which uses only lunar material and requires no additional supplies from Earth. They mark a step toward achieving local resource utilization, and eventually building structures on the moon with lunar soil.

From developing the lunar soil 3D printing system and leading the R&D of Tiandu test satellites, to supporting major projects such as the Queqiao-2 relay satellite and the Chang'e-6 mission, and now to creating a blueprint of a deep space economy, each achievement leaves a distinct Anhui imprint on humanity's grand endeavor of deep space exploration.

The Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, jointly established by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), Anhui province, and the University of Science and Technology of China, has consistently increased research investment and yielded scientific and technological innovations. The lab has collaborated with the team of Zhao Zhengguo, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), to tackle fundamental scientific difficulties such as the search for new particles in lunar-based environments. It has also worked with CAS academician Hou Zengqian's team on key technologies for selecting landing sites on Mars for the Tianwen-3 mission. Furthermore, the lab spearheaded the independent development of the Tiandu test satellites, achieving China's first lunar orbital formation flight.

The lab is currently building a core incubation zone for aerospace technology achievements in Hefei, with nearly 50 enterprise projects and high-quality outcomes under tracking, covering fields such as space launch, satellite manufacturing, and aerospace data applications. Over 70% of the projects and outcomes involve participation by high-tech enterprises.

Anhui's commercial aerospace landscape continues to expand, driven by technological innovation. At the First Deep Space Economy and Industry Development Conference in 2025, the concept of a "deep space economy" was formally introduced, laying out 10 key directions including deep space resource development, deep space internet, and deep space energy as industry priorities. Leveraging flexible mechanisms, rapid innovation, and sharp market insight, commercial aerospace is accelerating its role as a vital force in the development and utilization of deep space resources.

The Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone, home to 12 research institutes and innovation platforms, including the Aerospace Information Research Institute under the CAS, and attracted over 140 aerospace industry chain enterprises such as Geovis Technology and GALAXYSPACE. This has formed a complete satellite industrial chain covering the development of entire satellites and core components, the operation and control of low, medium, and high-orbit communication, navigation and remote sensing satellite constellations, and satellite data application services.

The International Deep Space Exploration Association, an international scientific organization in the aerospace field initiated by China, was established in Hefei in July 2025. The association was jointly proposed by five authoritative research institutions and organizations from China and abroad, and co-founded by 20 Chinese academicians and 31 international scientists, marking a significant milestone for global aerospace collaboration.

Building on the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, the China-initiated International Lunar Research Station is steadily advancing its international cooperation efforts. It has supported the CNSA in signing cooperation agreements with 17 countries and intergovernmental organizations worldwide, while the lab itself has established partnerships with over 60 overseas research institutions for specific project collaborations.

On the journey toward deep space, Anhui is leading with technological innovation, systematically constructing a full industry chain from strategic research, technological breakthroughs, and engineering development to industrial incubation, leveraging its role as a source of innovation to boost China's strength in aerospace.