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HELSINKI — Chinese commercial satellite manufacturer MinoSpace has won a major contract to build a remote sensing satellite constellation for Sichuan Province, under a project approved by the country’s top economic planner.
Beijing-based MinoSpace won the bid for the construction of a “space satellite constellation,” the National Public Resources Trading Platform (Sichuan Province) announced May 18, Chinese language Economic Observer reported.
The contract is worth 804 million yuan (around $111 million) and the constellation has been approved by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China’s top economic planning agency, signaling potential alignment with national satellite internet and remote sensing infrastructure goals.
The development is notable for seeing a commercial company assume a vertically-integrated role in a space infrastructure project. Previously, these were limited to major state-owned enterprises such as CASC, CASIC and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
MinoSpace, established in 2017, will develop 10 satellites for the project, including six synthetic aperture (SAR) and four optical satellites. The company will also arrange the launch of the satellites and complete their networking and commissioning in orbit.
The project is designed to serve the Meishan area of Sichuan Province, and was tendered through Sichuan’s public resource trading platform, which indicates provincial implementation and funding oversight.
MinoSpace, officially known as Beijing Weina Star Technology Co., Ltd., focuses on satellite design and manufacturing, as well as satellite components and ground systems.
The company secured 1 billion yuan ($137 million) in C series funding in June 2024. The funding was to ensure the successful implementation of major national and commercial missions like satellite internet and Earth observation, according to the company.
The contract award was followed days later by MinoSpace seeing its Taijing-3 (04) and Taijing-4 (02A) reach orbit aboard a Kinetica-1 (Lijian-1) solid rocket launch, May 21. The satellites carry optical and SAR payloads respectively.
The constellation is the latest in an emerging trend of commercial involvement in China’s national space ambitions, as well as demonstrating the role of provinces in the space sector.
China’s human spaceflight agency, CMSEO, has contracted the development of low-cost cargo spacecraft to serve the Tiangong space station, using launch vehicles from private firm Landspace and a commercial launch services arm of CAS.
CMSEO also invited bids for a lunar remote sensing satellite to support upcoming crewed lunar landings. While this was won by the state-owned China Academy of Space Technology—which developed the country’s lunar Chang’e spacecraft series—the open bidding suggests that commercial firms could be considered in the future, should they demonstrate such capabilities.
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) also allowed commercial participation in a lunar mission for the first time earlier this year.
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