Galaxy Aerospace Celebrates 8th Anniversary as China's First Commercial Space Unicorn
China Space

Galaxy Aerospace Celebrates 8th Anniversary as China's First Commercial Space Unicorn

Tianjiangshuo·

Galaxy Aerospace Celebrates 8th Anniversary as China's First Commercial Space Unicorn

Summary: On April 24, 2026 at 14:35 Beijing Time, China successfully launched four satellites, including a satellite internet technology test satellite developed by Galaxy Aerospace (银河航天), aboard a Long March 2D rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The same day marked Galaxy Aerospace's 8th anniversary — having grown from scratch to become China's first commercial space unicorn, with 40+ self-developed satellites launched and the nation's first low-Earth-orbit broadband communication test constellation "Small Spider Web" operational.

Launch scene of Galaxy Aerospace's satellite internet technology test satelliteImage credit: Galaxy Aerospace (reproduced with authorization)

On April 24, 2026, four satellites including a satellite internet technology test satellite developed by Galaxy Aerospace were successfully delivered into their designated orbits via a Long March 2D launch vehicle from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. This mission marked the 104th flight of the Long March 2D rocket and the 639th flight of the Long March rocket family.

The Long March 2D, developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), is a常温两级液体运载火箭 (conventional-temperature two-stage liquid rocket) capable of launching single or multiple satellites to various orbital destinations, with a太阳同步圆轨道运力 of 1.3 tons at 700 km altitude.

Eight Years of Galaxy Aerospace: From Zero to Industry Unicorn

The same day, Galaxy Aerospace celebrated its eighth anniversary as an important milestone. Since officially beginning operations in April 2018, Galaxy Aerospace has focused on satellite internet technology R&D and constellation construction, becoming a benchmark enterprise in China's commercial aerospace sector.

Eight-Year Highlights:

  • Satellite count: 40+ self-developed satellites launched, totaling over 20 tons
  • Operational constellation: Built China's first LEO broadband communication test constellation "Small Spider Web" (小蜘蛛网), consisting of 8 satellites capable of 30 minutes of continuous broadband communication; completed China's first multi-satellite continuous communication test
  • R&D capabilities: Achieved China's first Ka-band 8-beam phased array antenna in orbit; delivered 300+ satellite-borne phased array products with 200+ operational in orbit; annual Q/V antenna production capacity of 300 units with 100+ in orbit — leading the commercial space industry
  • Industry status: Became China's first unicorn company in the commercial space sector

The satellite internet technology test satellite launched this time carries multiple core technology products independently developed by Galaxy Aerospace. The R&D team performed numerous optimizations in satellite design and testing, effectively improving production and launch deployment efficiency.

According to Galaxy Aerospace CTO Zhu Zhengxian, in direct-to-cell technology, the company has developed mobile direct-to-satellite capabilities comparable to SpaceX's Starlink, having launched multiple technical test satellites with direct-to-cell functionality and possessing the capability to develop proprietary chip-based baseband processing components — representing internationally leading technical strength.

Satellite Mass Production: Annual Capacity of 100 Medium-Sized Satellites

Galaxy Aerospace's smart satellite factory in Nantong has established a complete manufacturing chain for satellites weighing 100-2000 kg, with stable annual production capacity of 100-150 medium-sized satellites, reducing satellite development cycles by 80% compared to traditional methods.

In the cabin panel assembly process, the team developed a robotic compliant force-controlled assembly system, which, combined with automatic compliant docking algorithms, improved cabin panel assembly efficiency by over 80%. When deploying satellite cabin panels using robotic arms equipped with six-axis force sensors, precision improved by an order of magnitude compared to manual operations.

Sources (original articles)

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