Speeding up the Development of Space Industry to Meet the New Challenge

By Mr. Ding Henggao, Minister of the Commission of
Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence

This paper discusses the urgency to further develop Chinese space technological industry; analyzes the gaps between China and other advanced countries in space industry, including technological level, development scale, application scope and investment; describes the current severe situation that the China's space industry is faced with, proposes the overall objective, guiding principles and major tasks of the China's space technological sector in the Ninth-Five Year Plan and the coming decade. Finally, it proposes some policies and effective measures to speed up the development of Chinese space industry to meet the challenge in the 21st century.

During the 40 years, under the leadership of the Party Central Committee, the State Council and the Military Commission of the Communist Party of China , following the principle of unified leadership, military and civilian combinati on, overall planning, comprehensive utilization and coordinated development, carrying on the spirit of close coordination, implementing the policy of mainly relying on ourselves and striving for the foreign assistance, China's space technological industry has obtained great achievements which attract worldwide attention. Some of them have reached the advanced world level in the important areas of space technology.

The achievements of China's space industry give an impetus to the development of China's high technologies, greatly promote the technical transformation and technical advance of traditional industry. The application of space technology has had certain scale and achieved evident social, economic and military benefits. The satellite TV transmission has already covered about 80%; TV education has benefited nearly 20 million people. The communications satellite has overcome difficulties in communications in China's remote areas and continental communication. The weather satellite system has greatly improved accuracy of weather forecast, especially disaster weather forecast, which reducing more than several billion yuan economic loss per year. The wide application of satellite remote sensing data in various areas has achieved good results. For instance, the reduction of one Kilometer railway line can save several million yuan through satellite railway line selection and about 100 millions yuan can be saved by bypassing a fault during the railway line selection with the remote sensing satellite data. Application satellites have also made a great contribution to the national defense modernization.

The above mentioned facts indicate that the development and application of space technology have become an indispensable part of our economy, military, politics , science and technology as well as people's life. China's space technology industry has achieved initial scale.

SPEEDING UP THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPACE TECHNOLOGY

While fully affirming the great achievement of China's Space industry, we should ve ry clearly understand that generally, China's space technology industry is still far behind the advanced countries in the technical level, development scale, the scope and quality of the application of space products, etc., and cannot meet the demands of our modernization and national defence. We should believe that space technology will be more widely used. We used to think that only a small number of technicians would be engaged in space technology and space technology would be only used in several areas such as military and communications. In fact, like communications and computer technologies, space technology has been used in every a spect of people's life and become an indispensable part of human society. Owing to many factors, China's space industry is still behind the advanced countries in the technical level, scale economy, investment scale and industrialization. The refore, we must deepen our understanding, broaden our thinking, increase sense of urgency and responsibility, and speed up the development of space technology and its industrialization.

As an comprehensive technology based on various advanced sciences and technologies, space technology is in the front of the development of science and technology and, its level and scale reflect one country's comprehensive strength. In order to occupy an important place in the world in the 21st century, some countries and international groups including USA, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada as well as so me third world countries one after another adjust their national strategy, study and work out their development plans of high tech including space technology. The resolution of the Congress of the United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space clearly pointed out that the development of space technology is a short cut for the developing countries to develop economy. Therefore, it is of great significance to promote the development of China's space industry, maintain its international position and speed up its industrialization. The development of China's space industry is closely related to our national economic construction and PLA's strategy and policy in the new historic period. Now, China's space industry is faced with severe challenges from home and abroad.

Challenge from Increasing Domestic Demands

The First Plenary of the Eighth National People's Congress set a magnificent goa l of quadrupling gross national product(GNP) ahead of schedule and called for th e continuous, rapid and healthy development of economy construction, which set a still higher demand on China's space industry.

At present, the demand of various departments for application satellites is gr owing rapidly. According to the statistics of the Ministry of Posts and Telecomm unic ations, 60-70 communications transponders had been needed by the end of 1995. B y 2000, the demand for transponders will have increased by about 150. The domes tic demand for mobile satellite communications has been put on the agenda. Over ten agencies and departments plan to establish satellite remote-sensing applica t ion systems for land management, resources survey, disaster prevention and mitig ation, environment monitoring and renewable resource growing analysis. Since sat ellite navigation and positioning systems have been widely used in many areas, the development of China's independent satellite navigation and positioning sys t em is extremely urgent. The construction of national defense also badly needs th e application satellite systems.

Challenge from Rapid Development of the World's Space Technology

Now, America still gives a strong impetus to the development of space technolo gy a nd attaches importance to the improvement of commercial competition of space tec hnology and the increase of economic benefit. In 1993, Russia conducted 47 succe ssful launches. Its launch frequency also ranks first in the world. ESA and Japa n are also increasing funds in the development of space technology. They carry out many new programs. The Ariane 5, a new launch vehicle that will be put into ope ration in the near future, can send 6.8 tons payload into GTO. The heavy launch vehicle, H-2, newly developed by Japan, successfully made its maiden flight. A new generation communications satellite developed by Japan will be launched around 1 996. India is unwilling to lag behind. Brazil, Israel, Korea, Thailand, Pakistan and South Africa are actively participating in the world's 'space club'. The competition in the space area all over the world is becoming more intense.

The development of space technology is very rapid. Satellite TV has directly entered into families. Personal global mobile communications times comes soon. R ound clock, all-weather and high resolution satellite remote sensing has been s ucessfully developed. The long life satellite with multifunctions, large capaci ty and high power has been widely used. Space technology is paying an important role in the well-known US 'information highway'.

Challenge from Domestic Market to Be Occupied

Impelled by economic benefit, the competition on space product market all ov er the world is very intense. China's domestic space market is endangered. For in s tance, China's 80% of operational communications transponder market has been oc c upied by foreign satellites. If we donюt speed up the development of our own sa t ellites the market may be lost all. China's weather navigation and remote sensi ng services basically depends on foreign satellites.

Therefore, in order to fill the gap, meet the challenges and to achieve the co untry's important development goal, it is the critical time for China to speed up the development of its space technological industry. In the pa st years, although the development of China's space technology has suffered sev e ral setbacks which seriously affected our overall plan and in the f utu re we might also meet with some difficulties and obstacles, our determination to develop space technological industry will never be changed under the leadership of the Party Central Committee. We will overcome all kinds of difficulties to a chieve our goal and greet the 21st new century.

TAKING A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO RAPIDLY DEVELOP SPACE INDUSTRY

Since October, 1993, with support and assistance form the related departments, w e have held a series of symposiums to discuss the development of our application satellites and satellite applications. At the meetings, the participants put fo rward good proposals and made good suggestions and gained common understanding o f some key problems. In the area of space technology we should still attach an i mp ortance to application satellites and satellite applications. Before 2010, China ю s space industry should have a great development and make a big step to open up a new prospect for the sustainable, rapid and healthy development of space techn ology. China's application satellite development plan should based on the nation's over all development plan. Due to many reasons, at present we canюt do something we expect to do and should do, that is, we must properly deal with the relationship between demand and possibility. We should make full use of favorable condit ions both at home and abroad to continuously improve the development of application s atellites and satellite application technology. We should establish several stea dily operational application systems mainly based on domestics satellites and wi th selected foreign satellites sources as their supplementary. Meanwhile in orde r to make a still great contribution to the improvement of society productive for ces and to the enhancement of comprehensive national strength, we should enhance the research, development and popularization of satellite application technolog y to promote the application and commercialization of satellites and application al technology. Our general guiding principle for space development panning is overall planning, sequential developing, forming systems, satellite-earth stati on coordination and laying stress on benefit.

According to the principle, the main task of space industry is to lay a solid fo undation, improve technical level, establish systems and realize commercializati on. The overall aim is that by 2000 or later China's space technological indust ry will have developed greatly in its various areas. It will establish several bad ly needed, independent and steadily operational systems, such as communications, meteorology and resources, which will reach the advanced world level in the ear lier 1990s.

On the basis of 'Ninth-Five' Plan, we should create favorable conditions fo r for ming the new high tide of development at the beginning of the next century. Ba sed on key technology improvement, we should speed up the development of high perfo rmance application satellites and establish application systems with a high leve l, multifunctions and long time steady operation to promote the application and commercialization of space technology and make space technologic al industry to become China's pillar industry.

The above mentioned goals are not only the demand of China's modernization fo r s pace technological industry but also the way to the successful development of sp ace technology in the world. Only by achieving these goals, can our space indust r y gain much more support from the Chinese people, keep its vigorous development a nd make its contribution to China's modernization.

Our goals are clear and our tasks are very hard and glorious. Achieving these go als is related to the country's overall benefits, we must have practical and ef f ective measures. On the one hand, we should sum up and draw the valuable experie nces from the development of China's space technological industry and carry for ward the good traditions. On the other hand, we should emancipate our thinking, seek truth from facts, deepen the reform, earnestly study the new situation and new problems which China's space industry is faced with under the market econo my con ditions, take a good opportunity to develop a good way to deal with a new situat ion and speed up the development of space technology. I believe that there are s ome issues needed to be explained.

Speeding up Development of Space Industry, the Country's Established Strategic Policy

Space technological industry is a strategic industry. Its mainly depends on th e country's determination. Recently, President Jiang Zemin stressed, 'at prese nt , science and technology are developing rapidly. For the frontier's scientific and technological items, we should hasten to develop some of them but not all. W e should hasten to develop those item s in which we can make full use of our advantages, we have accumulated a wealth of technol ogical experiences, relatively speaking we do not need to put huge investment s and once we make a breakthrough which can give an impetus to the industrial revo lution'. I believe th a t space area is an important area which we must hasten to develop. We must carry out the policy firmly, which is the prerequisite for space industry to develop. At prese nt, space industry is in a key development period. No doubt, the country will in vest more. Meanwhile, the country also encourages enterprises and institutions, regions and sectors to invest in all kinds of telecommunications, navigation and remote sensing satellites. The country will also make necessary investment and actively support them. In order to support the development of space technologica l industry, some people suggested that the country should set up space industry development funds and make full use of foreign investments. I think we should st udy the suggestion and do our best to carry out this important policy.

Strengthening Centralized Leadership, Improving Management

The principle of 'Centralized leadership, the combination of military-civili an production, overall pl anning, comprehensive utilization and coordinated development' is our successfu l experience which has been carried out for over 30 years and borne out by the fa c ts. It is hard to imagine that with less investment our space industry would hav e reached present scale and level if we had no strong centralized leadership and a series of effective measures. Since the reform and opening to the outside world, many facts had proved that under the conditions of the market economy, th e country should conduct the more centralized leadership and management of spac e technological industry. Only by doing so, can we make overall plans and take a l l factors into consideration, develop rapidly, avoid big setbacks and losses. Th erefore, we must improve our management, further study and formulate lows, regul ations and procedures to continuously conduct standardized and scientific manage ment.

To improve operational mechanism, We should carry out a contract system under mandatory planning for all space programs and introduce competition into them. For subsystems and critical components, especially payloads and some suitable co mponents we should implement the limited competition and select the best bidder. For some appropriate projects, we should break down barriers between different departments and between different trades, invite tenders all over the country an d establish the system for the qualification examination of deve loping departments.

To improve plan management.: The plans should reflect the law of value and rel ation between supply and demand. For the approved projects, we should make overa ll arrangement, including development schedule, technology status and funds.
To strengthen the comprehensive definition of satellite engineering projects.: In order to avoid the important technical repeating, for the projects during N inth-Five Plan and beyond, in addition to technical and economic feasibility study, we should make demonstrations for the key technical concepts.
To strengthen funds management and improve cost-effectiveness.: We wi ll deepen and perfect the reform of appropriation system for the scientific development a nd trial production and establish a new system which combines encouragement with restraining. We also enhance and review each development phase, and the fund ma nagement of the whole development period.
To strengthen the management of the satellite development.: We will pe rfect sa tellite engineering management system, formulate necessary stipulations for the satellite development, implement system of post responsibility, strengthen quali ty control during the development, pay more attention to the safe production and try to eliminate possible accidents especially serious casualties.

Enhancing Advanced Research of Payload

Payload is the core of the application satellite. Its performance and level ar e the key to the development of satellites, or even of the whole space industry. While stre ngthening the advanced development of various satellites, we must tackle key tec hnologies of the payload. We will make full use of the advantages of the relate d departments of the whole country, choose the very capable institutions as fixe d bases for the development and manufacture of payloads, and make payloads to de velop towards serialization and provide selecting chances for satellites. In ord er to do the work better, we plan to study the technical development and overall planning of payloads.

Enhancing Basic Construction

Technical reform and basic construction are very important to the improvement of space products, the reduction of the development time and to the improvement of product quality. At present, many existing facilities, equipments and conditions of China's space industry cannot meet the requirements of the development of new generation space products. It is necessary to renew and reform them. We must speed up the construction of the facilities for satellite design, production and test as well as laboratories for key components of satellites.

Components and raw materials are indispensable basis for the development of space industry. We will attach an importance to the standardization, miniaturization and integration of onboard electronics, further study the performance, reliability and usage of the components. We must develop as soon as possible the key components and raw materials which are closely related to the development of the satellite.

Conducting Generalization, Seriation and Integration

With the improvement of the satellite development and design technology, we must conduct generalization, seriation and integration of subsystems, parts and components of satellites and launch vehicles and try to develop the satellite common platform technology. It is the only way to the improvement of product reliability, and the reduction of new products' development period and cost. Therefore we must take effective technical measures and formulate design criteria and specifications as soon as possible, establish a strict design review system.

Increasing Overall Benefit of Space Industry

Satellite application is the key link in converting space technology into productivity and is the final reflection of space industry's comprehensive benefit. We should attach an importance to the development of satellite application technology and continuously support the development of key and common technologies used in satellite application areas such as communications, broadcasting, earth observation, navigation, positioning and space science. I hope all the related departments will pay more attention to application of satellite technology and development of their own satellite application technology. With the government's support, various development centers of different areas of satellite application will be gradually established. We should coordinate onboard and ground systems in the development of space technology and the construction of ground application system.

Expanding International Cooperation

It is very important to make full use of present favorable domestic and international environment, and to actively make international cooperation and exchanges . The development of space technology and its application means the exploration and utilization of space resources, which is the global mission. Because of its complexity and large investment needed, one country or one region cannot solely do it. International cooperation is becoming an important way to the development of space technology and its application. We will try to use more foreign capitals, resources and technologies. On the basis of our common satellite platform to be completed, we will establish cooperation relationship with the foreign countries and organizations who have higher technological basis, such as America, Russia, Europe and Japan to shorten the development period of new products and improve development technology of the satellite. Meanwhile, we must follow the policy of self-reliance. We must develop some key technologies by ourselves. The international cooperation must be made under the united leadership and step by step.

We will offer good foreign satellite launching and piggyback services. We should make full use of our own advantages, actively participate in the international competition, enter the world market, study the laws, stipulations, standards and specifications of international space industry and market, organize technical visits and academic exchanges actively, analyze and use the experiences of other countries for reference and make full use of foreign satellite technology, space achievements and application satellite resources to speed up the development of China's satellite technology and its application.

The time for the great development of space technology is coming. Now, we have a solid foundation for the great development. Under the leadership of the Party Central Committee, State Council and the military commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and with the help and support of all related departments, we must take a good opportunity, emancipate our minds, deepen reform and work hard to make a still greater contribution to China's space technological industry.

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