Overview
China has rapidly expanded its space capabilities, becoming the second-largest satellite operator by country. Its fleet spans navigation (BeiDou), Earth observation (Gaofen, Yaogan), communications, scientific research, and the Tiangong space station. China launched approximately 92 orbital missions in 2025, second only to the United States.
Key Programmes
BeiDou: China's global navigation satellite system with ~30 operational satellites in MEO, GEO, and IGSO. Provides positioning, navigation, and timing services globally, rivalling GPS, Galileo, and GLONASS.
Gaofen: A high-resolution Earth observation series with sub-metre optical and SAR capabilities.
Yaogan: Military reconnaissance satellites (optical and SAR), operating under the "remote sensing" designation.
Guowang and Qianfan (G60): Two planned mega-constellations totalling approximately 28,000 LEO broadband satellites — China's answer to Starlink. Deployment began in 2024–2025.
Tiangong: China's modular space station, permanently crewed since mid-2022.
Launch Vehicles
China operates the Long March family (government-operated, 25+ variants), alongside a rapidly growing commercial launch sector with companies like Landspace (Zhuque), Galactic Energy (Ceres), iSpace, and others. China flew 25 different orbital vehicle types in 2025.