Satellite network development is at the right time (economic focus)
Core reading
Satellite network is an important field for the development of the communications industry in the future.
In the Zhongguancun Science City, Haidian District, Beijing, forces from the market and the government are accelerating, and an aerospace industry cluster aimed at the goal of a 100 billion-level industrial cluster has been initially formed.
The "14th Five-Year Plan" and the 2035 long-term goal outline propose to build a high-speed ubiquitous, integrated world, integrated interconnection, safe and efficient information infrastructure.
Satellite network is an important field for the development of the communications industry in the future.
It is predicted that by 2025, there will be 200 million sets of global satellite network access equipment, and the market size is about 600 billion US dollars.
In January this year, "Beijing's Measures to Support the Development of the Satellite Network Industry" was released, which will focus on building a commercial satellite industry base and a constellation operation control and operation platform.
Today, in the Zhongguancun Science City, innovative private aerospace enterprises have sprung up like bamboo shoots, and an aerospace industry cluster aimed at the goal of a hundred billion-level industrial cluster has taken shape.
A new force in the aerospace field
At a satellite test site in the northern part of Haidian District, Beijing, communication system experts from the private company Yinhe Aerospace are preparing for the test.
A few minutes later, a low-orbit broadband communications satellite passed over Beijing, and the staff used their mobile phones to connect to the WiFi hotspot provided by the satellite terminal to make a video call.
It was the Galaxy Space First Star that was successfully launched on January 16 last year to complete this task.
Zhu Zhengxian, chief technology officer of Galaxy Aerospace, said that because there is only a single satellite at present, the time to receive signals each time a satellite transits is still very limited, but as the number of communication satellites in orbit continues to increase, users can receive signals without interruption.
Traditional network coverage is mainly carried out by constructing base stations, but ground base stations are faced with the constraints of high cost and small coverage.
In this context, satellite Internet came into being.
Zhu Zhengxian said that in the past, the high-orbit geosynchronous communication satellites used to provide services to people were deployed in orbits about 36,000 kilometers above the earth's equator.
Due to the long distance, high manufacturing and launching costs, high signal transmission delay, and high communication costs, these factors are not conducive to large-scale applications.
Advances in science and technology are changing the outlook and development prospects of global wireless communication. Among them, the near-Earth broadband communication constellation (with an orbit height of 200 kilometers to 2000 kilometers) has gradually emerged with its advantages of full coverage, large bandwidth, and low cost, and has become a global network solution. New schemes covered.
In people’s impressions, the national team is mostly used in the aerospace industry. Why do private companies enter this field?
"Private commercial aerospace has the advantages of flexibility and efficiency, which is of great significance for my country to accelerate the construction of low-orbit broadband satellite Internet." said Ai Bin, director of the Aerospace Industry Division of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology.
Zhongguancun Science City "Star Valley" quietly takes shape
Since the state encouraged social capital to invest in the aerospace sector in 2015, commercial aerospace companies represented by commercial rockets and satellites have grown rapidly. There are currently more than 200 companies, of which about 90 are clustered in Beijing.
Ai Bin introduced that Beijing, based on the existing foundation and spatial layout of the satellite network industry, proposes to play a leading role in the radiation of the "South Arrow and North Star".
Specifically, build a commercial aerospace industry base in Daxing District to strengthen the "South Arrow"; build a commercial satellite industry base and a constellation operation control and operation platform in Haidian District to strengthen the "North Star".
As a key move to strengthen the "North Star", in September last year, the Zhongguancun Science City "Star Valley" construction project was officially released, which is to plan and construct an aerospace industry cluster in the northern area of Zhongguancun Science City, that is, along Beiqing Road, and create a 100 billion-level Industrial clusters.
Lin Jianhua, deputy head of Haidian District and deputy director of the Zhongguancun Science City Management Committee, introduced that in the northern district of Zhongguancun Science City, a large number of scientific research institutions and a large number of innovative enterprises have been formed, covering satellite research and development, ground stations and terminal equipment, satellite measurement and control, and satellite The whole industry chain ecology of operations.
"Satellite Internet is not an isolated industry. In the future, talents in the Internet, artificial intelligence, and satellite applications are needed. Haidian District is a fertile ground for the growth of these talents," said Liu Chang, co-founder of Galaxy Aerospace.
It is understood that "Star Valley" has an aerospace industry cluster area of nearly one million square meters.
At the same time, Haidian will build a satellite design and pilot test service platform, a satellite test service platform, and a satellite measurement and control operation service platform to form a strong industrial service capability.
In addition, Haidian provides strong policy support for enterprises entering Star Valley, including industrial investment funds, rent subsidies for the start-up period, subsidies for R&D investment, and public rental housing for talents.
Policy assistance brings strong momentum
In 2020, Beijing will incorporate satellite Internet into the key tasks of Beijing’s new business models and new models. In January of this year, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology took the lead in issuing the "Beijing’s Measures to Support the Development of the Satellite Network Industry" to address the premium subsidies reported by enterprises. , Financial support, spatial layout, government services and other difficult and painful issues.
Ai Bin introduced that these 26 measures are the detailed rules for Beijing's special measures to support the development of the satellite network industry, which further enhances the development confidence of enterprises in the industrial chain and will provide strong support for the construction of new satellite networks.
This support is being transformed into a real sense of gain for the company.
“Government departments at the municipal and district levels have equipped us with corporate butlers to provide companies with butler-style services. On the one hand, some problems encountered by companies in their operations can be consulted or sought help from corporate stewards in time; at the same time, corporate stewards often take the initiative to provide services for companies. Recommending, answering, and fighting for related policies have all enhanced the sense of belonging and acquisition of the company. For example, we have some urgent procedures in the process of business development, and the corporate steward has helped coordinate and communicate at the first time many times." Galaxy Space Strategic Cooperation Director Manager Chu Xiaojie said.
"Beijing's Measures to Support the Development of the Satellite Network Industry" proposes to introduce a number of collaborative application scenarios.
Take the 2022 Winter Olympics as a major application scenario to promote advanced satellite network technology.
Promote satellite networks to be piloted in the construction of smart cities in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei such as Xiong’an New District, enabling the city’s global perception, digital operation and intelligent decision-making.
At the same time, in terms of promoting regional coordinated development, Beijing will deeply connect with the Tianjin-Hebei region and improve and enrich the layout of the entire industry chain in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
Currently, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, and Hebei Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology are preparing the "Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Regional Industrial Coordinated Development Plan". The resource endowments, location advantages, and industrial layout of the three places will be planned in the next step. Reflected in.
"Although many research and development results have been achieved, we should also be soberly aware that at present, private enterprises engaged in rocket and satellite research and development are mostly in the early stages of innovation and development, and there is still a way to go before large-scale industrialization and mass production. "He Jianwu, Director of the Second Industry Promotion Division of the Management Committee of Zhongguancun Science City, said.
In Zhu Zhengxian's view, commercial aerospace is a fast-growing emerging industry with high thresholds and large investments. It is more susceptible to government supervision and industry policies than most industries.
He suggested that the government plan ahead to control the total number of satellites in orbit, increase support for low-orbit satellite launches, fully mobilize and give play to the strength and advantages of private enterprises, and further enhance the global competitiveness of my country's space information application industry.
Our reporter He Yong