A Chinese Long March rocket carrying micro-satellites lifts off from the launch pad in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. (Photo : Reuters)
At least 10 percent of the world’s satellites will be built and supplied by China by 2020, a leading space researcher told China Daily.
"A forecast by a foreign consultancy said that around 1,000 satellites will be launched by 2020 to meet the demands of the market, and we believe Chinese-developed satellites will account for more than 10 percent of that market," Yuan Minhui, the director of the Beijing Institute of Space Science and Technology Information, said.
Yuan made the remarks on Monday, May 30, on the sidelines of the Third China International Satellite Service Business Matching event, which aims to promote Chinese satellites in the global market.
"Remote sensing, communications, and positioning and navigation satellites are our major offers in the global market and they will continue to expand their shares," Yuan said.
The director also urged both China and the U.S. to consider cooperating on manned space exploration programs despite the ban imposed by the U.S. prohibiting contact between Chinese and U.S. space workers.
"This is because such programs cost a lot and carry high risks," Yuan said. "Collaboration would help reduce the risks and improve engineering efficiency."
About easing up the expansion of the space industry overseas, another satellite industry insider said that the government must establish the clear delineation of responsibilities for authorities engaged in space programs.
"Currently, we can't even find out who is in charge of some fields in the satellite sector," said the researcher, who refused to be identified as it was against his employer's media policy. "The vague organizational structure and lack of definitions and responsibilities causes confusion for our potential foreign clients."
In March, Hu Shengyun, chief model designer of China Sanjiang Space Group (CSSG), said that China will establish a commercial rocket development and launch company.
Hu said that Kuaizhou-11, the company's latest carrier rocket, is scheduled to conduct a commercial launch in 2017, as part of its official commercialization.
