China's space industry undergoes rapid commercialization driven by private sector

China's space sector is experiencing a remarkable transformation fueled by rapid commercialization driven by innovative private enterprises, as showcased at the ongoing 2026 Beijing International Commercial Space Exhibition.

The exhibition opened on Friday in Beijing, capital of China, featuring the latest industry advancements and aerospace facilities.

The three-day exhibition, with an area covering 20,000 square meters, draws more than 300 domestic and international companies from across the industry chain, showcasing the latest achievements in rockets, satellites, and application services.

With an industry output value surpassing 2.5 trillion yuan (around 358.5 billion USD) and an annual growth rate of 20 percent, over 600 companies are propelling China's commercial space sector into the fast lane.

"Many corners of the world are not connected. There are still more than three billion population on earth who don't have good quality of connection. So this is what we are doing. We try to develop the satellites, use the satellites in the space, to provide communication services," said Peter Huang, general manager of International Business Development, GALAXYSPACE.

GALAXYSPACE showcased breakthrough satellite technology featuring ultra-thin, flexible solar wings. The solar panels, just 1mm thick, can be folded to under 5cm for launch and then unfurled into an impressive 9-meter "wing" in orbit. This innovation not only enhances power efficiency but also allows for the compact stacking of satellites for mass launches.

Li Zhaofeng, marketing director at CreateUnion, provided insight into their role as "space traffic managers."

"You can think of us as space traffic managers. We collect data on space objects, satellites, meteoroids, rocket debris, to provide users with positioning, orbit determination and so forth," said Li.

The backbone of this new space age is affordable and frequent access to orbit. Galactic Energy exemplifies this with a dual-strategy: solid-fuel rockets like the CERES series for quick-response missions, and liquid-fuel rockets like the reusable PALLAS series for heavy-lift needs.

"This is the PALLAS-1, a reusable launch vehicle set for its maiden flight March or April this year. It can deliver seven tons to sun-synchronous orbit, and its first stage is recoverable," said Wu Yue, director of Public Relations, Galactic Energy.

China's space industry undergoes rapid commercialization driven by private sector

The targeted killings of Iran's top leadership, including security chief Ali Larijani, have significantly narrowed diplomatic options and may push the country toward a more hawkish posture, according to a political analyst.

Tensions between Iran and Israeli-U.S. forces have continued to escalate, as a series of targeted strikes killed several high-ranking Iranian officials in recent days.

Among them were Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani, Gholam-Reza Soleimani, chief commander of the voluntary Basij force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib.

Larijani was widely seen as a pragmatic and experienced politician who played a central role in nuclear negotiations and was viewed by many as a bridge between Iran and the West.

Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has vowed that those responsible will soon have to pay.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Foad Izadi, a political analyst, suggested that the killing of Ali Larijani may represent an effort to eliminate any remaining hopes for diplomatic engagement between Iran and the United States.

"He was a moderate [politician]. He basically wanted to make sure that Iran and the United States reach a political agreement. And I think the reason Israelis killed him was because Israelis don't want Iran and the United States to reach a political agreement. So, he was one of the people who could manage that between the political establishment here. And this is very logical: if these people are killed, the people who will replace individuals like Mr. Larijani will become more hawkish," Izadi said.

Funerals for Larijani and Basij commander Gholam-Reza Soleimani were held in Tehran, drawing a large number of mourners. They expressed both grief and anger, vowing revenge against the United States and Israel.

On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing the country's supreme leader, senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. assets in the Middle East.

Killing of Iran's top security officials narrows diplomatic path: political analyst