Construction on a new satellite super factory located in Hainan’s Wenchang International Aerospace City is entering the final phase, and is now 90% complete. With a total investment of approximately 1.091 billion yuan and a construction area of 60,000 square meters, the satellite manufacturing base is expected to be fully complete by the end of October and officially begin production by the end of 2025. The innovative "factory-to-launch" model of the base will provide new impetus for the development of China's commercial aerospace industry.

The space industry cluster at Wenchang International Aerospace City. Photo courtesy of the construction company

Located in Dongjiao Town, Wenchang, the facility includes the International Satellite Advanced Manufacturing Center and the International Satellite-Rocket Collaborative R&D Center. The base will be comprised of the super factory, a test and inspection center, and eight core stand-alone development centers. As the first manufacturing base in China capable of both satellite assembly and satellite-rocket co-assembly, the new base’s annual production capacity is expected to reach 1,000 satellites once operational. The project has made rapid progress since construction began, with the main structure topping out 60 days ahead of schedule. The construction team is currently accelerating mechanical and electrical installation, exterior facade decoration, and outdoor road paving. 

The Wenchang Satellite Super Factory is nearing completion. Photo courtesy of the construction company

Although not yet officially operational, the factory has already demonstrated a significant industrial clustering effect. To date, 26 aerospace companies, including China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Commercial Satellite Company and Beijing Landspace Hongqing Technology have signed contracts to set up operations here, significantly optimizing the base’s expected production capacity. Hongqing Technology's prefabricated satellite platform will reduce satellite assembly time from one week to one day, reducing costs by 20%. Hainan Guoxing Flight Testing offers AI big models, enabling intelligent testing of the entire rocket and satellite process and reducing testing costs by 50%. Beijing Microenthalpy Technology's thermal control digital twin platform will reduce thermal testing costs by half for companies in the park.

One of the distinguishing advantages of the new super factory will be the "launch-as-you-go" capability. Thanks to the factory’s location close by the Wenchang Space Launch Center and Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center, satellites only need to be transported a few kilometers from the final assembly workshop to the launch station, reducing transportation time from days to hours and significantly reducing logistics costs and risks. As a key project of the Hainan Free Trade Port, the factory will promote the large-scale networking of low-orbit satellite constellations. In addition, thanks to the Free Trade Port's policy advantages, the International Satellite Data Trading Service Platform will establish a satellite data bonded zone to promote the aggregation and circulation of global satellite data resources.

This project is also deeply aligned with Hainan's industrial development plan. According to the action plan, Wenchang is developing an industrial ecosystem combining the rocketry, satellite, and data industrial chains. The satellite super factory will drive the implementation of supporting projects such as a satellite component manufacturing center. The combined strength of the aerospace industry cluster is expected to result in revenues of 10 billion yuan by 2027.

In order to develop aerospace industry talent, the factory has partnered with the Hainan College of Foreign Studies to launch an aerospace-related on demand training program. The first cohort of 26 trainees has received training in satellite assembly and testing skills and will be deployed to production lines in the future. The project is expected to create thousands of skilled jobs across the entire supply chain.

An official from the Wenchang International Aerospace City Administration stated that after the factory goes into production, the first satellite will soon roll off the assembly line, establishing an efficient operational model with components shipped in and satellite-rocket assemblies shipped out. This super factory will not only be a key platform for technological innovation but also a demonstration project for the Hainan Free Trade Port to cultivate new industries and business models, helping to enhance the international competitiveness of China's commercial space industry.