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Minhang Reaching for the Sky: The Aerospace Ambition of a "Rocket Star City".
On September 16, the Gravity-1 (Y3) · Qianfan Quanshun launch vehicle developed by Space Pioneer ignited and lifted off from the waters of China's East Sea, sending 8 networking satellites of the Qianfan constellation into orbit. This marked the first time the entire chain of "manufactured in Shanghai, launched in Shanghai waters" was successfully completed. This commercial space enterprise has recently settled in Minhang.
Looking at the bigger picture, Space Pioneer's settlement in Minhang is just the latest piece in Minhang's aerospace landscape.
In the 2026 Government Work Report, the State Council designated aerospace as a national "emerging pillar industry" for the first time. In January this year, Shanghai released the construction plan for Minhang's commercial space "Rocket Star City". In August this year, the construction of the Lincang Road Wharf for the commercial space Rocket Star City was simultaneously advanced to connect the entire chain of rocket final assembly, transportation, and sea launch, aiming to build a CNY 100 billion-scale aerospace industry in Minhang.
Since the beginning of this year, Minhang has improved its aerospace platforms, attracting enterprises along the industrial chain one after another. In April, Shanghai Commercial Space Sea Launch Technology Co., Ltd. settled in the Minhang District Development Zone to improve Shanghai's commercial space sea launch system. In July, the Sixth Academy of CASC focused on liquid rocket reusability and established the Yuqing Power Shanghai R&D Headquarters in Minhang District, adding further impetus to accelerating the industrialization of commercial rockets in Shanghai. Other notable additions include the GalaxySpace satellite computing platform, Beijing Zhongxing Test non-standard testing services, Jiguang Xingtong spaceborne laser communication, LandSpace Hongqing whole satellites, Puxing Aerospace hyperspectral satellite whole satellites, and the Weina Xingkong R&D headquarters, covering the entire spectrum of the aerospace industry.
From a single spacecraft to an ecosystem, from one enterprise to an industrial cluster, and from national strategy to market demand, the story of Minhang's aerospace industry is turning a new page.
Aerospace Track: Minhang Accelerates Its Pace
In 2025, the output value of Minhang's aerospace industry reached CNY 69 billion. This figure means that whether in commercial space or the aviation industry, Minhang has already secured an absolute advantage in the city's industrial scale.
Looking back at 2024, the output value of Minhang's aerospace industry was CNY 63 billion. It grew by nearly CNY 6 billion in one year, with a growth rate of nearly 10%. At this pace, the target for the district's aerospace industry scale by 2030 is CNY 150 billion.
Some may ask, what is the basis for this? The answer lies in the profound foundation of "establishing the district with manufacturing and strengthening the district with services".
First, let's look at the industrial foundation. In 2025, Minhang's total economic output reached CNY 426.9 billion, and the industrial output value above designated size reached CNY 386.1 billion. It boasts a complete supply chain in manufacturing fields such as energy equipment, precision components, new materials, IC (Integrated Circuit), and AI (Artificial Intelligence), forming a "3+3+3" leading industry pattern. Moreover, Minhang District has cultivated two national-level specialized industrial clusters for small and medium-sized enterprises in the aerospace track: the Space Information Industrial Cluster and the Civil Aviation Airborne Equipment Industrial Cluster. It is this industrial network that provides a superior environment for aerospace enterprises to settle in Minhang.
Next, let's look at the sci-tech innovation engine. Shanghai Jiao Tong University and East China Normal University, two 985 universities, are rooted in Minhang, and both have laid out the industry-university-research functions of the "Low-altitude Economy Research Institute". In addition, Minhang utilizes the "Chunshen Talent Plan" and talent housing policies to attract top sci-tech innovation talents. Currently, there are 128 academician workstations, and over 1.01 million talent resources have gathered here. The proportion of R&D expenditure in the whole society to GDP has reached 8%, ranking first in the city. From source innovation to engineering application, and from talent cultivation to technological research, Minhang does not lack the "strongest brains".
Finally, let's look at the spatial layout. The distribution of Minhang's aerospace industry has two clear threads. One extends southward along the Huaning Road industrial corridor: with the Xinzhuang Industrial Zone as the heart, it links Zhuanqiao, Jiangchuan Road, and Pujiang Town, connecting the R&D and final assembly of rockets and satellites, sea launch operations, and aerospace precision supporting facilities, and directly accesses the sea launch channel via the Lincang Road Wharf. The other spreads along Lianhua South Road in the areas of Wujiang Town, Greater Zero Bay, and Zizhu High-tech Park: relying on scientific research resources such as Shanghai Jiao Tong University, it focuses on the R&D and application of aero-engines, airborne systems, UAVs, and manned aircraft. The two threads, one in the south and one in the north, have taken the lead in realizing the full-chain synergy of "R&D source—overall design—manufacturing and mass production—low-altitude scenario application" in the field of civil aviation.
The strong industrial foundation, powerful sci-tech innovation resources, and clear spatial layout are precisely the important supports for Minhang's aerospace industry to accelerate its stride towards the CNY 100 billion level.
Aerospace "Giants" Are All Here
The strength of Minhang's aerospace industry lies not in the scale of a single enterprise, but in building an industrial ecosystem led by the state, coordinated by private enterprises, and supported by a sound supply chain.
First, let's talk about the ballast effect of the "national team".
The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) is stationed in the core source area of Minhang's "Rocket Star City". As China's only comprehensive aerospace system institute and one of the three major aerospace system institutes in China, it has developed the main rockets of the Long March series, with a launch success rate of over 98%. From the Shenzhou manned spacecraft to the Chang'e probes, from Tianwen Mars to the Fengyun satellites, this main force of the "national team" has participated in almost all major national aerospace projects.
The headquarters of AECC Commercial Aircraft Engine Co., Ltd. (ACAE) is located on Lianhua South Road in Minhang District, a state-controlled enterprise under the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC). As the chief designer and general contractor for China's commercial high-bypass turbofan engines, ACAE undertakes the R&D of the CJ-1000A engine for the domestic large passenger aircraft C919, as well as the development of the CJ-2000 engine for the wide-body passenger aircraft C929.
AVIC Airborne Systems has settled in Wujiang Town, Minhang District. As a major supplier of avionics, flight control, electromechanical, and other airborne equipment in China, AVIC Airborne Systems mainly engages in the new-generation information technology industry and high-end equipment manufacturing business derived from airborne technology.
And what truly brings this ecosystem to life is inseparable from the rise of private forces.
In the field of rocket engines, Jiuzhou Yunjian's "Lingyun" and "Longyun" liquid oxygen-methane engines possess the capabilities of multiple restarts and recovery reuse. In 2025, the Long March 12A rocket equipped with the "Longyun" engine successfully completed its maiden flight, pioneering the precedent of national team rockets being equipped with commercial engines.
In the field of AI satellites, Minhang's layout is even more inspiring. The Xinghe Intelligent Computing Company, newly established by GalaxySpace in Minhang, is deploying spaceborne intelligent processing, space computing power, and AI application systems; Ningbo Zhenyu Co., Ltd. and Guoxing Yuhang have formed a joint venture to provide precision structural parts and core standalone packaging for AI satellites; Weixing Technology was introduced to Minhang in 2025. Its first domestic commercial infrared meteorological satellite has completed in-orbit verification, and in May 2025, it released the "Tiantong Constellation" with a total planned 220 satellites; Huanyu Guanlan, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Weina Xingkong, has settled in Minhang, responsible for operating its "Jingtai Constellation" spaceborne AI edge computing payloads and data application business.
Minhang's strong advanced manufacturing foundation is extending into space. JinkoSolar has released the "Star Cloud No. 1 Space-grade Tandem Battery"; CATL Future Energy provides high-safety aerospace lithium batteries for satellites equipped with large computing power payloads; Shanghai Tianfu Interstellar Energy Technology Co., Ltd. is a forward-looking R&D platform specifically established by Trina Solar to enter the fields of space photovoltaics and aerospace energy.
Minhang's advantages in the field of AI satellites are forming an industrial synergy of "new energy + precision manufacturing + AI computing power".
The low-altitude economy is also a trump card for Minhang.
Volant Aero
Headquartered in Minhang, it has completed 13 rounds of financing in 5 years, raising a total of over CNY 5 billion, with orders exceeding 1,900 units and an amount reaching CNY 47.5 billion. It has become the domestic low-altitude economy enterprise with the most financing rounds, the highest cumulative amount, and the largest single financing scale.
Shidi Technology
Settled in the Xinzhuang Industrial Zone of Minhang in 2026, its E20 is the first domestic tiltrotor architecture eVTOL. It has completed over 1,000 test flights, secured the largest single overseas order for Chinese eVTOLs worth USD 1 billion, and has over 1,000 orders in hand both domestically and internationally.
Kaile Cangqiong
Aviation Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., wholly owned by Blue Vector, is located in Minhang District, Shanghai. The company is mainly responsible for the whole machine design, production manufacturing, and operation services of the Skyla brand eVTOL, and is the core carrier for the commercial landing of products.
Minhang's development of the low-altitude economy goes far beyond just introducing enterprises; it also involves building test flight bases. The Minhang Low-altitude Test Base in Wujiang Town is the first complex-scenario low-altitude test base in China. The first phase of 1.5 square kilometers has been put into use. The base highly simulates the complex environment of real cities and can carry out multi-model, multi-subject, and cross-scenario integrated flight tests.
The Shuangxi Low-altitude Economy Operation Base in Meilong Town covers an area of nearly 300 mu and has an investment of over CNY 1 billion. It provides full-cycle industrial supporting services for helicopter and UAV enterprises, including R&D, manufacturing, test flight, testing, training, industry-university-research, and application scenarios. Currently, the Shuangxi Low-altitude Economy Operation Base has officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement on the low-altitude smart logistics project with YTO Express, providing a benchmark model for low-altitude logistics to move from "pilot test flights" to "scaled commercial use".
From upstream basic materials and core components, to midstream subsystem integration and final assembly manufacturing, and then to downstream operation support and industry applications, the entire chain of Minhang's aerospace industry has been fully connected.
Minhang's Next Stop: The "Star City" and the Vast Sea
Standing at the new starting point of the "15th Five-Year Plan", Minhang is taking the "Rocket Star City" as the driver, and "commercial space" and "aviation low-altitude" as its two wings, going all out to sprint towards a CNY 100 billion-level industrial cluster.
In early 2026, Shanghai officially released the construction plan for the "Rocket Star City" with a total planned area of about 15.3 square kilometers for commercial space. It aims to build a full-chain cluster of R&D, manufacturing, launch, operation, and application, and create a globally influential characteristic cluster for commercial rockets and satellites.
Two time points outline the goals for Minhang's aerospace industry. By 2027, it will form the manufacturing capacity of 80 rockets and 200 satellites per year, and complete the full industrial chain layout of reusable rockets; by 2030, it will achieve an annual production of 150 rockets and 500 satellites, and build a one-stop manufacturing and launch service system.
In the field of low-altitude economy, Minhang's development advantages are equally prominent. Minhang possesses a strong industrial foundation and user resources, and has leading representative enterprises in key components such as eVTOL whole machines, helicopters, engines, avionics systems, and propellers. On this basis, with the goal of Shanghai's low-altitude economy core industry scale reaching about CNY 80 billion by 2028, Minhang is undoubtedly the core bearing area.
Today, Minhang has become the launch pad for China's aerospace industry to rush into space. Here, there are not only abundant land resources and policy support, a CNY 10 billion-level fund matrix, and the support of talents from double first-class universities, but also professional business environment service capabilities that actively respond and take the initiative to help enterprises "string pearls into a chain". In addition, rich industrial clusters have further opened up the complete ecosystem of aerospace.
From a single spark to the "Star City" and the vast sea, Minhang is flying higher.
Text | Xu Manli Editor | Guo Beibei