On the morning of August 19, the first satellite manufactured in Xiong'an, the "Honghu 03", was launched into orbit atop a Zhuque-3 reusable rocket from the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Pilot Zone. This milestone, marking the first in-orbit satellite for the new area, was independently developed by LandSpace Hongqing (Xiong'an) Space Technology Co., Ltd., a company based in the region. The launch signifies a full-cycle closure for Xiong'an's air-space information sector, bridging the gap from research, development, and manufacturing to in-orbit application.
Today, anchored by China Satellite Network Group (CSNG), the new area has attracted 69 enterprises and established 9 innovation platforms within the air-space information and satellite internet ecosystem. This has effectively shaped the region's first complete, innovation-driven industrial chain. The air-space industry, which has grown from nothing in Xiong'an, now stands as one of the area's three primary future industries. How is this "City of the Future" sketching its blueprint for the skies?
Aligning with Ambition: The Strategic Choice
During early autumn, the glass facade of the China Satellite Network Group headquarters in Xiong'an's Start-up Area reflects the blue sky, marking a physical landmark and the official positioning of the industrial chain's leader. At a recent provincial press conference, Yu Guoyi, a member of the Xiong'an New Area Party Working Committee and Deputy Director of the Administrative Committee, emphasized that the air-space information and satellite internet industry is the first industrial chain being prioritized for development. The goal is to accelerate the cultivation of new quality productive forces and build a supply chain system led by CSNG.
Rewinding to 2017, the direction of Xiong'an's industrial development was a topic of intense focus. The aerospace and air-space information sectors are characterized by massive investment, long cycles, and extremely high technical barriers. Why would Xiong'an, starting from a "blank slate," choose this challenging path?
"We have identified satellite internet and commercial aerospace as the breakthrough point for strategic emerging industries," stated Wang Yanwei, Director of the Xiong'an New Area Reform and Development Bureau. "CSNG will drive the application of satellite internet and the growth of the air-space information industry, bringing industry, talent, and other key elements into Xiong'an."
The air-space information industry is a quintessential future sector—high-tech, high-value-added, and low-consumption—perfectly aligning with Xiong'an's positioning as an innovative development demonstration zone. Currently, satellite internet is considered the next major information infrastructure after mobile communications and the internet. According to the "2024 White Paper on the Development of China's Satellite Navigation and Location Services Industry" released by the GNSS and LBS Association of China, the industry's total output value reached 536.2 billion yuan in 2023. Industry forecasts broadly predict that by 2030, the scale of China's air-space information industry will surpass 3 trillion yuan.
In April 2021, CSNG was registered in Xiong'an, signaling the beginning of a concentration of air-space industry headquarters in the new area. Following this, state-level entities like the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) established a presence. In April 2024, China Space-Time Information Group Co., Ltd. was registered in Xiong'an with a registered capital of 4 billion yuan, jointly held by CSNG, Norinco Group, and China Mobile. Its mission is to integrate superior resources and build strategic strength in the spatio-temporal information field.
By October 2024, CSNG's office building in the Start-up Area was officially put into use, making it the first central enterprise to complete its headquarters relocation. Ma Yangbiao, Deputy Director of the Xiong'an New Area Science Park Management Committee, noted, "We will fully leverage the leading role of central enterprises like CSNG, CASC, and CASIC to establish a satellite internet supply chain system and a commercial satellite intelligent manufacturing industry system."
While state-owned giants provide the cornerstone, thriving commercial space companies inject vitality. LandSpace Hongqing (Xiong'an) Space Technology Co., Ltd., the developer of the first "Made in Xiong'an" satellite, aspires to be a world-class Chinese satellite enterprise. At the same time, an innovation ecosystem characterized by "leading enterprise guidance, large and small company integration, and upstream-downstream industrial chain coordination" is rapidly taking shape by Baiyangdian Lake. Currently, 69 air-space information and satellite internet ecosystem enterprises have gathered in Xiong'an, covering key segments from satellite internet and commercial satellite manufacturing to rocket component R&D and spatio-temporal information applications.
From Lab to Real-World Application: The Application Field
Scenario application is the crucial engine driving the air-space industry's growth. In the construction of Xiong'an's "digital twin" city, air-space technology is playing an indispensable role. The "Space-Air-Ground Integrated Digital Base" jointly developed by CSNG and the Xiong'an Group utilizes satellite remote sensing, drones, and ground sensors to provide the city with high-precision, high-frequency spatial data services.
Ma Jisheng, General Manager of Xiong'an Xiongchuang Digital Technology Co., Ltd., previously stated that every utility pole, pipeline, and park bench can be found within the system. The team's work on data governance and digital twin construction is laying the groundwork for the "Cloud City." He explained that previously, the complex network of underground water, electricity, gas, and heating pipelines was managed by separate departments with inefficient manual inspections. Now, the digital twin model of Xiong'an's underground integrated utility tunnel, linked with real-time sensors, allows for a quick overview of the real-time operational status of all pipelines on a single screen.
Moving from the planning hall to the shores of Baiyangdian Lake, air-space technology is also safeguarding the "Kidney of North China." At the Xiong'an New Area Ecological Environment Monitoring Center, a large screen displays real-time drone surveillance footage of the lake. This is a "BeiDou+5G"-based space-air-ground integrated water environment monitoring system. Through automated drone hangars and remote sensing terminals around the lake, it achieves automated and routine inspections of the entire 360-square-kilometer water area. This ecological monitoring system constructs a "space, air, ground, and lake" stereoscopic network for comprehensive and multi-element data collection.
More application scenarios are unfolding. In urban safety, satellite internet-enabled emergency communication terminals are being pre-installed in underground utility tunnels and smart streetlights in new districts, ensuring millisecond-level communication response in extreme situations. In the low-altitude economy, Xiong'an is planning a low-altitude intelligent logistics network. Drone companies like Fengyi Technology are already conducting routine logistics test flights in the new area, suggesting a future where food delivery from the sky becomes a reality.
Building a Hub of Talent and Innovation Vitality
Ultimately, industrial competition is talent competition. How is Xiong'an building its "innovation highland"? In November 2023, the "Xiong'an Talent Sixteen Measures" were unveiled. This policy framework offers top-tier researchers generous funding and housing awards, living subsidies for recent graduates, and innovative mechanisms like special positions with premium pay and flexible talent introduction, creating a comprehensive support system for talent at all levels.
Professor Lu Zhaoming from Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (BUPT), who leads an underground positioning and navigation project team in Xiong'an, said, "The research team has mature technical expertise, and local policies are full of sincere support." Since 2020, his BUPT team has been tackling technical challenges in Xiong'an. They developed a "BeiDou+5G indoor distribution" high-precision positioning and navigation system, achieving "meter-level" accurate navigation that works both above and below ground. This globally pioneering technological solution won first prize in the 2024 Xiong'an Future City Scenario Competition.
"What attracts me most is the pure research environment and high-level experimental platforms. The 'Xiong'an Talent Card' provides full support for housing, children's education, and medical care, allowing us to focus completely on our work," Lu added.
Chen Wei, Chairman of CoreLink New (Hebei Xiong'an) Technology Co., Ltd., echoes this sentiment. A researcher with nearly 20 years of experience in semiconductor laser development from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Semiconductors, he moved from Beijing to Xiong'an in 2023 to start a business. "Xiong'an has many new application scenarios, which is its strength, providing an excellent testing ground for entrepreneurs to iterate and grow," he said.
As of August 2026, Xiong'an has issued over 20,000 "Xiong'an Talent Cards." More than 5,700 outstanding recent graduates are receiving monthly living subsidies, with numerous entrepreneurial talents putting down roots. Beyond financial support, Xiong'an fosters a youth-friendly atmosphere with regular academic salons and tech roadshows.
The pipeline of talent is also being reinforced. On July 23, 2026, the School of Space Science and Technology was officially established in Xiong'an by Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications. Beihang University is also actively promoting deep cooperation with Xiong'an in the air-space technology field. Furthermore, the Xiong'an New Area Satellite Sharing Intelligent Manufacturing Center and Sharing Testing Center are about to become operational, providing significant convenience for local businesses and reducing fixed asset investment costs.
Shi Yaozhong, General Manager of LandSpace Hongqing (Xiong'an) Space Technology Co., Ltd., expressed confidence: "With comprehensive support from the new area's industrial and talent policies and new public experimental platforms, we are confident our company can achieve significant growth and development here." The air-space information industry has now become one of the fastest-growing emerging industry growth poles in the new area. Xiong'an will persist in its focus on intelligent, green, and integrated development, vigorously promoting its three major industries of air-space information and satellite internet, digital economy and artificial intelligence, and new materials. The goal is to deeply integrate technological and industrial innovation, elevate the area's innovation-driven development capacity, and strive to build a new-era innovation hub and a model for high-quality development.
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