China’s commercial space sector saw 50 launches last year, making up more than half of the country’s total, reports the South China Morning Post, which says this underscores the growing role of private players alongside the state-led space programme.
Commercial launches accounted for 54 per cent of the country’s total in 2025, according to data released on Tuesday by the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
Of the total, 25 launches were carried out by commercial launch vehicles. Hainan commercial space launch site–China’s first commercial facility, which entered operation in late 2024–conducted nine. In all, 311 commercial satellites were placed into orbit last year, representing 84% of China’s total satellite deployments, according to the CNSA.