China’s space narrative shifted dramatically in 2025, with commercial ventures claiming 50 launches—over half (54%) of all missions, according to CNSA. This dominance arrives amid intensifying global competition.
Commercial rockets numbered 25 in the tally, proving reliability at scale. Hainan’s new pad wasted no time, achieving 9 launches en route to 10 total, leveraging its prime geography for efficient orbits.
A whopping 311 commercial satellites joined the orbital fleet, dwarfing others at 84% of deployments. Impacts ripple through agriculture, disaster response, and digital connectivity nationwide.
The Zhuque-3 reusable demonstrator capped the year with a textbook flight: precise payload delivery and booster reentry success. These validations herald cheaper, greener launches.
As private firms scale up, 2025 lays groundwork for sustained leadership. Expect more reusability, mega-launches, and international ventures as China builds the infrastructure of tomorrow’s space economy.