Beijing is accelerating plans to build a national hub for space-based computing in the Yizhuang district, as officials convened a key meeting on Monday to push forward the creation of a space computing innovation center and a full industrial chain around it.
The initiative, centered in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (also known as E-Town), is designed to turn space computing from a theoretical concept into operational systems, underpinning a commercial aerospace market that already exceeded 2.5 trillion yuan in 2025. The strategy is part of a broader national push to build an independent and secure space-based computing infrastructure.
Leadership and purpose of the meeting
The session was chaired by Wang, deputy secretary of the work committee and director of the management committee of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area. Several space computing companies presented their proposals and development roadmaps.
Discussions focused on how to integrate space-based computing with the wider digital economy, and how to coordinate construction of the infrastructure needed for commercial aerospace applications that rely on orbit-based computational power.
New research institute anchors implementation
A key step in the plan is the recent establishment of the Beijing Space Intelligent Computing Research Institute in Yizhuang. Local authorities describe it as the main vehicle for implementing the space computing innovation center.
The institute is tasked with moving space computing from academic and conceptual frameworks into practical, deployable systems. It will serve as a direct channel for turning advanced research into commercial products and services.
Core technologies: chips, laser links and thermal control
Meeting participants agreed to jointly develop critical satellite and computing technologies viewed as bottlenecks for the sector. Priority areas include:
- radiation-resistant chips
- inter-satellite laser communication links
- efficient thermal energy control systems for spacecraft and computing payloads
Radiation-hardened microelectronics are a central focus. Chinese researchers have already reported progress, including work by a Fudan University team that developed a 2D-material chip capable of withstanding 10 megarads of gamma radiation. That on-orbit-validated chip is estimated to last up to 100 times longer than conventional silicon components in high-altitude orbits, setting a new benchmark for devices targeting these projects.
Optical communications firms are watching the emphasis on inter-satellite laser links. Recent national tests have demonstrated:
- a two-way 1 Gbps laser link between a satellite and a ground station over more than 40,000 kilometers, maintained for over three hours
- experimental peak transmission speeds reaching 120 Gbps, indicating a steep improvement trajectory and growing demand for supporting technologies
Building constellations and a closed-loop industrial chain
The broader plan is to construct large-scale, networked satellite constellations that can deliver distributed computing power from orbit. According to filings with the International Telecommunication Union, applications for nearly 200,000 satellites were submitted in January, reflecting the scale of China’s ambitions.
This vision is already moving into deployment. In May, 18 additional satellites were launched for the Spacesail Constellation, taking its total to 144. National targets call for more than 100 launches a year, with commercial satellites projected to account for 85–90% of that activity.
In parallel, planners aim to create a closed-loop industrial chain that connects:
- satellite constellations
- terminal equipment on the ground
- cloud-style computing and data services
This structure is designed to give companies across the supply chain, from core components to end-user equipment and services, a predictable and expanding market framework.
Yizhuang positioned as ecosystem hub
Yizhuang (E-Town) is being positioned as the central hub for this emerging ecosystem. Local plans call for supporting a cluster of around 1,000 enterprises engaged in commercial space and related high-tech industries.
The build-out is backed by significant municipal funding. Beijing intends to allocate more than 1.5 billion yuan in 2026 to accelerate high-tech sectors, with explicit support for the digital economy, new materials and space-related technologies.
National security and standards at the core
Planning documents show that the space computing initiative is tied to national security and technological self-reliance objectives. Authorities aim to:
- establish an independent, controllable infrastructure for space-based computing
- develop unified technical and operational standards across the aerospace computing sector
By combining government backing, concentrated industrial clustering in Yizhuang and rapid advances in key technologies such as radiation-resistant chips and high-speed laser links, Beijing is moving to convert its long-term space computing strategy into concrete industrial capacity over the coming weeks and months.
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