MinoSpace, a Chinese commercial satellite manufacturer based in Beijing, has secured a substantial contract to construct a remote sensing satellite constellation for Sichuan Province. The National Public Resources Trading Platform (Sichuan Province) announced on May 18 that MinoSpace won the bid, valued at 804 million yuan (approximately $111 million).
This project, approved by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China’s top economic planning agency, highlights the increasing alignment between commercial endeavors and national space infrastructure goals. The contract represents a notable shift, as such vertically-integrated space infrastructure projects were previously the exclusive domain of major state-owned enterprises like CASC, CASIC, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Instead, a private commercial company is now at the forefront.
MinoSpace, established in 2017 and officially known as Beijing Weina Star Technology Co., Ltd., will be responsible for developing 10 satellites – six synthetic aperture (SAR) and four optical – for this constellation. The company's responsibilities extend to satellite launch arrangements, as well as their on-orbit networking and commissioning. The constellation will serve the Meishan area of Sichuan Province, with the tender process managed through Sichuan’s public resource trading platform, indicating provincial oversight of both implementation and funding.
MinoSpace’s success builds upon a substantial C series funding round of 1 billion yuan ($137 million) secured in June 2024. The company stated that this funding would support major national and commercial missions related to satellite internet and Earth observation. Days after the contract award, MinoSpace successfully launched its Taijing-3 (04) and Taijing-4 (02A) satellites aboard a Kinetica-1 (Lijian-1) solid rocket launch on May 21. These satellites carry optical and SAR payloads, respectively.
This constellation is a prime example of the increasing commercial involvement in China’s national space ambitions. It also underscores the growing role of provincial governments within the Chinese space sector. China’s human spaceflight agency, CMSEO, has already contracted private firms for projects such as developing low-cost cargo spacecraft for the Tiangong space station, utilizing launch vehicles from Landspace and a commercial arm of CAS. CMSEO’s open bidding for a lunar remote sensing satellite, although ultimately awarded to a state-owned entity, indicates the possibility of future commercial participation, contingent upon demonstrated capabilities.
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) also allowed commercial participation in a lunar mission for the first time earlier this year. This demonstrates a broader trend towards integrating commercial entities into China’s ambitious space program.