China’s space agency has released an action plan to take its commercial space sector worldwide, pledging to help integrate commercial projects into its international cooperation agenda.
The ambitious plan could challenge a number of US laws and government regulations aiming to curb the expansion of China’s space industry on the global stage.
On Tuesday, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) posted guidelines for the promotion of commercial space flight and enterprises through to 2027, positioning the industry as a “vital force” for building a strong space nation.
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The plan encourages commercial space firms to engage in international cooperation and exchanges, including helping developing countries build satellite applications.
It also encourages commercial firms to pioneer innovation in areas such as reusable rockets, space resource utilisation, space tourism, in-space biomanufacturing and space debris monitoring.
In recent years, China’s commercial space sector has grown rapidly, with advances such as reusable rocket technology even attracting the attention of the US, which has long been the global leader in the sector.