Beijing's Haidian district is rapidly emerging as a hub for China's commercial space industry, boasting over 300 high-tech enterprises in the sector and the nation's most comprehensive industry chain, officials said at a recent press event.

GalaxySpace, based in Haidian district, is China's first unicorn in commercial aerospace and satellite internet. The company has logged several milestones, including launching the country's first flat-panel satellite powered by flexible solar panels and pioneering mass production of low-orbit broadband communication satellites. GalaxySpace also built China's first low-orbit broadband test network and oversaw the first overseas deployment of China's low-orbit satellite internet.

The cost to launch a satellite has drastically fallen from over a billion yuan to the millions in recent years, thanks to continuous technological breakthroughs and innovation in manufacturing.

GalaxySpace has built a manufacturing line that integrates human-machine collaboration, using assembly robots, intelligent equipment and digital manufacturing systems.

The line supports the full production process for satellites weighing between 100 and 2,000 kilograms, with an annual capacity of 100 to 150 medium-sized satellites. The approach has shortened the development cycle by 80%, making true mass production possible.

As a result, GalaxySpace's supplier network has expanded from just over 100 partners in 2018 to more than 1,300 today, with more than half being private enterprises.

Beijing's commercial space industry now covers the entire value chain, from launch vehicles and satellite manufacturing to ground stations, terminal equipment and satellite application services, creating the most comprehensive ecosystem of its kind in China.

Looking ahead, the city plans to accelerate technological innovation, with plans to achieve orbital recovery and reusable rocket flights by around 2026.