Institute for the Practice and Development of Chinese Modernization
Researchers: Song Di, Shen Yiran
The space-air-ground integrated information network consists of systems that coordinate space, atmosphere, and ground. At the space level, satellite technology plays a central role. Through the deployment of satellites, all-round coverage of all corners of the earth has been realized, and global communication has been barrier-free. As an important part of the entire network, the ground communication base station cooperates with air and space technology to form a seamless communication network. It's like "moving" a base station from the ground to space, allowing the satellite's signal to cover the ground like a lighthouse's beam.
This concept was once on fire in the 2G era, and it has been ignited again in the era of 5G and 6G. At present, space-air-ground integration technology is becoming a key area of the technology game between major countries, not only because the technology itself has a broad application space in various fields, but also because the space-space-ground integration technology can lead the commercial aerospace, a new generation of communication technology and the Internet industry, and realize the traction effect on the billion-level industry.
The construction of the domestic aerospace industry has begun to take shape, but there are still problems such as insufficient integration of the aerospace communication industry, insufficient integration of private aerospace and national teams in the field of commercial aerospace, and insufficient integration of large enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises. To promote multi-party integration, especially to promote the development of commercial aerospace and promote the integration of large and small enterprises, the key is to further break down the barriers of state-owned enterprises and private enterprises.
1. Space-air-ground integration technology is one of the keys to the great power game in the field of next-generation aerospace and communications
The space-air-ground integrated information network is important because its application in the field of global communication will eliminate the limitations caused by geographical location in traditional communication technologies. Users can also enjoy high-quality communication services in remote areas, oceans, mountains and other places. At the same time, due to the high coverage of space communications, it will also have more powerful support capabilities for disaster emergency communications, military communications and other fields. In fact, when facing Typhoon Doksuri this year, in the case of network outages, power outages and circuit interruptions in some areas, the Tiantong satellite phone opened by the operator is the only communication tool that can be used for external communication, which is an application scenario of the air-space integrated communication technology.
Wu Yirong, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and president of the Aerospace Information Innovation Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that digital earth science has become one of the most challenging and widely driven frontier science and technology fields in the world, which not only provides technical support for macro decision-making, but also plays a major role in global climate change, international disaster reduction, scientific and technological innovation, social economy, education and other fields, and has a profound impact on all walks of life. In the future, Aerospace Information will expand more technical application scenarios and create an ecosystem covering the entire aerospace information industry chain.
Due to the high economic and strategic importance of the space-air-ground integrated information network, global powers are also making many layouts around this technology.
In the aerospace field, such as SpaceX and Blue Origin commercial space companies, the United States has created more favorable conditions for the deployment of satellites and the development of space communication technology by reducing launch costs and increasing carrying capacity; Through cooperation with aerospace companies, we have realized the innovation and application of satellite communication technology and explored new possibilities for building a global space-space-ground integrated information network. The U.S. government not only provides financial support, but also provides a supportive environment for the development and application of related technologies through regulations and policies, and works with the private sector to promote the construction of an integrated space-ground information network. For example, SpaceX's Starlink project, which has received government support, plans to achieve global coverage through satellite internet services.
China has also made great strides in this area, and in 2016, the "space-ground integrated information network" was included in the 13th Five-Year Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation. Operators and aerospace companies have also begun to promote the industrialization of this scientific research concept.
On the whole, the construction of China's air-space-ground integrated information network has begun. For example, in the field of satellite communications, the Aerospace Science and Technology Group has made great efforts to build the core competitiveness of the whole link of "satellite frequency station network terminal", and China Telecom has launched the "Tiantong-1", which is the first satellite mobile communication system independently developed and constructed in the mainland, and is the "important weapon of the country" in the field of space-earth integrated information and communication, and is an important component of the mainland's space information infrastructure.
However, in general, in the past few decades, China's satellite communication systems have been competing with each other and developing independently due to the diversity of use scenarios, network characteristics, and operating entities. The actual differences between satellite-ground networks lead to complex problems such as network heterogeneity, inconsistent standards, and operation segmentation in the construction and operation of "space-ground integrated network". With the gradual germination of 6G technology and the United States' "air-space-ground integrated information network", China is objectively required to coordinate the pace of the "air-space-ground integrated information network" and further give full play to the advantages of the new national system.
Second, the integration of aerospace technology has great industrial driving significance
The value of aerospace integration technology lies not only in the wide application of its technology itself, but also in its huge industrial driving capacity. From satellite manufacturing, launch services to communication equipment, to data processing and application services, the aerospace information industry is a strategic emerging industry, an important industry to support the digital transformation of industry and society, and an important infrastructure to lead the global economic development.
The aerospace information industry has a huge market size and potential growth potential. In 2019, the scale of the domestic aerospace information industry exceeded 420 billion yuan, with a compound growth rate of about 15.5% from 2017 to 2019. In 2022, the compound growth rate will exceed 16.4%, and it is expected to reach a trillion industry scale after 2025.
In addition to the growth of quantity, the aerospace information industry also affects a huge industrial chain, and there are a number of "new quality productivity" industries around the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain. The aerospace information industry is a collection of high-end equipment manufacturing and a new generation of information technology, as the upstream industry of satellite equipment research, manufacturing, testing and satellite in-orbit operation of the midstream industry, and as the downstream industry of information processing, communication and other technology development and utilization.
Take the mobile phone as an example. At present, a number of leading mobile phone brands have begun to release mobile phone models with satellite link capabilities. At the end of 2023, Huawei launched three mobile phones that can support the two-way communication function of Beidou satellite. According to a report by Global Market Insights, the global satellite phone market size was valued at USD 4.4 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.1% from 2021 to 2027. The main driver of this growth is the increasing use of satellite phones by groups such as government agencies, military personnel, emergency responders, media professionals, and travelers.
In addition to mobile phones, more terminals with data collection, data processing and related artificial intelligence are expected to be further popularized with the improvement of air-space integration technology.
In addition, by promoting the development of the aerospace information industry and driving the development of the technology industry, it will play an important role in the scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement of the two key industries of the mainland, telecommunications and aerospace. After several years of catching up, China's communications industry has become a business card of scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement in the 5G era, with 5G patents accounting for nearly 40%, ranking first in the world.
This is especially true in the 6G era, where the aerospace information industry is an important part, and unlike the previous communication standby, 6G will involve two major industries: communication and aerospace. According to data from the State Intellectual Property Office, the total number of global patent applications in the field of satellite communication technology is 25,509, with the largest number of patent applications from China, reaching 9,159, accounting for 31%. With the gradual arrival of the 6G era, the aerospace information industry will continue to promote the significant improvement of the scientific and technological capabilities of the aerospace and communication industries.
Third, the integration of space, space and ground requires the cooperation of the two major industries, aerospace and communications
As the backbone of building an integrated space-space-ground information network, the aerospace industry's professional knowledge and technology accumulation in the fields of satellite technology and space exploration are crucial. As an important node of the information network, satellites achieve global communication coverage through in-orbit operation, and the rocket launch technology related to satellites is also crucial because of the cost of satellite launches.
Satellite technology is a type of communication technology, however, satellite technology alone cannot meet all the needs of future communication. The communication industry has strong strength in mobile communications, network technology, equipment manufacturing, etc. With the support of the communications industry, the space-ground-ground integrated information network can better adapt to the diversified and intelligent communication needs.
However, at present, the integration of the domestic operator-based communications industry and the aerospace industry is still at a relatively shallow level. In order to build an integrated information network of space, space and ground, it is imperative to cooperate closely with the aerospace industry and the communications industry. The aerospace industry needs to understand the needs of the communications industry and adjust the research and development direction of satellite technology to better meet the diverse communication scenarios.
For example, satellite design needs to take into account the communication needs of different users, from high-speed mobile communication to low-power IoT device communication, all require different types of satellites to achieve it. At the same time, the communications industry should also be deeply involved in the research and development and application of satellite technology to provide more flexible and efficient communication solutions. The cooperation between the two sides can also be reflected in the model of joint investment, joint construction and sharing. The aerospace industry and the communications industry can jointly invest in infrastructure such as satellite launches and ground communication base stations to achieve resource sharing and reduce overall construction and operating costs.
In the past, satellite communication projects were mainly based on high-orbit large satellites, mainly operated in the form of national projects, and now, hundreds or even thousands of small satellites should be launched many times, forming a satellite constellation in low orbit, multiple launches, and low cost has become very important, which requires the industry to break the original inertia and shackles, integrate business thinking, and solve the problem of cost and demand.
Fourth, the integration of space-air-ground technology requires the cooperation of state-owned enterprises and private enterprises, give full play to their respective advantages, and establish the overall advantages of air-space technology
Commercial space plays an indispensable role in the development of aerospace communication technology. Commercial space companies are generally more flexible and market-oriented, and they have unique competitive advantages in satellite manufacturing, launch services, and more. Therefore, in order to build an integrated space-ground information network, it is necessary to promote the development of commercial aerospace, and to promote the development of commercial aerospace, it is necessary to further break down the barriers between state-owned enterprises and private enterprises.
After the opening of China's commercial aerospace policy space, both inside and outside the system are exploring the commercialization of aerospace, and two commercial aerospace forces have been formed, one is a commercial aerospace force led by the national team, such as Shaanxi Aerospace Commercial Engine Co., Ltd., a commercial aerospace engine R&D and manufacturer under the Sixth Academy of Astronautics, China Aerospace Sanjiang Group under the Aerospace Science and Industry Group Co., Ltd., and Zhongke Aerospace incubated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences;
Overall, at the beginning of the first year of commercial aerospace in 2016, private aerospace companies took the lead, and a number of private rocket and satellite manufacturing enterprises were formed under the impetus of capital, followed by the national team, which made great strides in the field of commercial aerospace with its own technology and scale. The two have gradually formed a certain cooperative relationship in the market, that is, some national teams mainly assume the role of infrastructure, platform construction and key technology supply in the field of commercial aerospace, while private aerospace plays a role in the overall manufacturing and commercial application of rockets, but the overall integration ecology has not yet been formed, and mutual accusations such as "digging the wall" and "closed" also occasionally appear in the industry.
After years of development, China's commercial aerospace has begun to take shape, and the number of launches in 2023 will reach a new high, but compared with the United States' commercial aerospace, the gap between China's commercial aerospace and the entire aerospace industry has not narrowed, but has further widened. In 2023, the U.S. commercial SpaceX will far surpass the domestic market in terms of both the number of launches and the payload, leading the world, which also shows the importance of commercial space in the new round of competition.
It should be said that the cost of SpaceX is inseparable from market forces and entrepreneurship, but it is also closely related to the support of the traditional aerospace and military industrial systems of the United States. In China's aerospace industry, the national team of aerospace science and industry, aerospace science and technology is the main body, and in the commercial aerospace, private enterprises play a more active role, to promote the development of commercial aerospace, objectively speaking, it is necessary to strengthen the integration of private aerospace and state-owned aerospace systems.
Strengthening this integration requires first and foremost further clarification. The private economy is an endogenous element of the socialist market economy, and private enterprises and private entrepreneurs are "their own people", so naturally, the private aerospace industry should also be its own people. On the premise of ensuring safety, the cooperation between oneself and one's own people should set fewer boundaries and distinguish less between inside and outside, so as to realize the situation that private aerospace is "willing to take responsibility" and the national team aerospace is "willing to open up".
In the specific path, to strengthen the cooperation between the two sides, on the one hand, it is necessary to further clarify the main business direction of the two sides, and open more "non-core business" of the national team to private aerospace companies; Aerospace science and technology has set up relevant industry funds, and gradually exerted influence in the market through the funds.
5. The integration of space, ground and ground is a huge innovative industry, and it is necessary to build an industrial platform to promote collaborative innovation and common development of enterprises of different sizes, and establish a complete innovation ecology
A group of small and medium-sized enterprises have the characteristics of "specialization, refinement, special innovation", they can do what large enterprises cannot do, unwilling to do, and the ecology they constitute is also the basis for the innovation of large enterprises.
This is especially true in the aerospace industry, the entire aerospace industry has a huge industrial chain, including not only the national team and the private team of aerospace companies, but also the aerospace and communications industries, but also including the support of many small and medium-sized enterprises in these leading industries, and the innovation ability of these enterprises in the entire industry is very prominent, how to build a platform for collaborative innovation of large enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises, is one of the keys to the development of the aerospace industry.
The United States has established the Small Business Bureau to support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, and the Small Business Bureau mainly provides support in the field of capital for small enterprises in the United States through various financial instruments. At present, China's construction of a specialized, refined, special and new system has also played a similar role, but the aerospace industry still has its particularities, which are mainly reflected in the fact that there are fewer chain owners in the industrial ecology, and the supply chain system is more closed. Therefore, it is more necessary to build an external cooperation platform to promote the integration of the industrial chain up and down, large and small.
Judging from some current industrial practice cases, local governments and their related industrial parks and related industrial funds are important platforms and tools.
According to relevant reports, Beijing, Shanghai, Hefei, Chengdu, Jinan, Hangzhou, Shenzhen and other places are actively deploying the aerospace information industry. Taking Hefei City, Anhui Province as an example, Hefei City, relying on the leading domestic aerospace equipment engineering and technology foundation, has actively carried out the work of attracting investment from high-quality enterprises, and has initially established an aerospace information industry system with rich connotation and reasonable structure. In the future, Hefei will adhere to internal training and external introduction, key breakthroughs, and full-chain development, take satellite research and development as the core, build an integrated and intelligent satellite operation platform, fully explore the application scenarios of aerospace information, and strive to achieve a total scale of 100 billion yuan in the whole industry chain by the end of the "14th Five-Year Plan".
Chongqing has promoted the establishment of the Aerospace Information Industry International Ecological Alliance, including the 100 billion yuan fund group for the aerospace information industry, which was jointly launched by 10 investment institutions. According to Chongqing's plan, by 2025, Chongqing will create a national satellite Internet industry innovation center, and by 2030, it will build a satellite Internet comprehensive application demonstration zone, promote the listing of 3-5 enterprises, introduce and cultivate hundreds of "specialized, special and new" enterprises, and form a 100-billion-level aerospace information industry cluster.
80% of China's small and medium-sized enterprises are private enterprises, so to strengthen the cooperation between large and small enterprises, it is also necessary to further strengthen the cooperation and integration between state-owned enterprises and private enterprises in terms of concept and path.