China: New satellite factory in China's Xiong'an to produce 50 satellites a year.

Storyline New satellite factory in China's Xiong'an to produce 50 satellites a year Xiong'an New Area in northern China is preparing to launch a smart satellite factory that will double as a testing center in June which is expected to cut assembly costs in half. Equipment installation in the factories is nearly completed, and engineers are making final adjustments and checks. A flexible satellite assembly platform on site can handle integration and assembly of satellites up to one ton, including communication, navigation, and remote sensing models. Yang Jinshuo, operation manager of aerospace information industry, Xiong'an Science Park: "We can simultaneously carry out assembly and integration of six satellites. Our designed annual production capacity now is 50 satellites. Commercial space firms coming to Xiong'an only need to bring their satellite designs and raw materials. Our professional team provides the capacity of assembly, integration, and testing support, helping reduce costs by more than 50 percent." The center will provide comprehensive pre-launch testing for complete satellites. Yang Jinshuo, operation manager of aerospace information industry, Xiong'an Science Park: "The facility mainly simulates the temperatures of extreme cold and heat in space. It can accommodate testing for up to four satellites at the same time. The Xiong'an Shared Satellite Testing Center is capable of electrical, thermal, mechanical, and magnetic testing across more than ten subcategories. It supports all testing needs from assembly and integration to pre-launch. Overall, we can test 100 satellites and 200 sets of payloads a year." Xiong'an New Area is now home to 67 aerospace information companies, including China Star Network, along with nine innovation platforms. The industrial output value of the sector has topped 152 million U.S. dollars. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]