With the continuous development of aerospace technology and the deepening of related applications, the era of "space economy" has arrived. "Space economy" includes products, services and markets created by various space activities, such as space technology and products, satellite applications, space science, space industry, space agriculture, space resource utilization, space energy, space tourism, aerospace and space culture industry, aerospace support and support services and other related industries. The emerging "space economy" is changing every aspect of human life on Earth. The "space economy" has increasingly shown the characteristics of foundation, strong correlation, high promotion and high growth, and has become an important part of world economic development and human life. China Aerospace should lay an industrial foundation that leads the development of the space economy through leap-forward development of aerospace technology and aerospace industry, ensuring that our country has space dominance and increasingly strong space competitiveness in the future.
1. Proposition of the concept of space economy
On September 17, 2007, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin delivered a speech in Washington to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of NASA. Shi said that the era of "Space Economy" has arrived. Space activities led by NASA have created new market space and new economic growth points. Technological innovation will become the driving force for the sustainable development of the "Space Economy". He said that the space economy includes satellite communications, such as radio communications and satellite television, telemedicine, point-to-point global navigation, weather forecasting and climate monitoring, and space assets to ensure national security. The space economy also includes the emerging space tourism and the developing space logistics services, which can make commercial space tourism a profitable business form.
When Griffin proposed the concept of space economy, he cited the "Space Report - A Guide to Global Space Activities" first publicly released by the United States Space Foundation in 2006 (the 2007 and 2008 editions have also been published ). The report divides global space activities and space industry into 6 major categories and 31 sub-categories, which is very different from the traditional classification method of 4 major categories: launch vehicle manufacturing and launch, satellite manufacturing, satellite operation services and satellite ground equipment manufacturing. . The report mainly adds categories such as commercial satellite insurance, space tourism, and military aerospace that were not eye-catching in the past. At the same time, the U.S. government budget is listed as a major category, and the government budgets of other countries are also listed separately. Among them, the first category of space commercial infrastructure and the third category of commercial satellite services are basically similar to the connotations of the previous satellite industry (aerospace industry). Specifically including:
(1) Space commercial infrastructure: satellite manufacturing, launch vehicle manufacturing, satellite ground stations and equipment;
(2) Space commercial infrastructure supporting industries: Independent research and development, insurance;
(3) Commercial satellite services: 5 items of live satellite television, satellite radio communications, fixed satellite services, mobile satellite services, global positioning system equipment and chips;
(4) Commercial space transportation services: orbital and suborbital;
(5) U.S. government aerospace budget: mainly including 8 departments including the Department of Defense and NASA;
(6) Government space budgets of other countries: mainly including the European Space Agency, Russia, China, etc., divided into 9 sub-items.
In fact, the above-mentioned aerospace activities can be summarized as military, civilian and commercial. Among them, military and civilian are mainly reflected in the government budget, that is, categories (5) and (6).
Global commercial aerospace constitutes the main body of the space economy. The commercial revenue of the global aerospace industry includes revenue from space infrastructure, products and services, namely categories (1), (2), (3) and (4). In the figure below, for the convenience of comparison, the larger ( Categories 1) and (3) were split, forming 10 subcategories of commercial space activities. Nearly every segment of commercial aerospace experienced growth in 2006. Satellite services have driven growth in commercial space, with live satellite television and GPS equipment combined adding $21.25 billion to commercial satellite industry revenue.
As can be seen from the above figures, the scale and growth rate of commercial aerospace, which can create profits for businesses and create value for consumers, are very eye-catching. Other categories of space activities also directly or indirectly generate economic benefits, such as disaster reduction satellites and deep space exploration spacecraft, and their scale is also growing.
2. Analysis of the connotation of space economy
The so-called "space economy" refers to the products, services and markets created by various space activities as well as the related industries formed. Space economy expounds on aerospace technologies and products and their applications from the perspective of economic benefits of space activities. In addition to the industries formed by the three major parts of space technology and products, space applications, and space science, "space economy" also includes the technology, industry, and economic benefits derived from entering space, exploring space, and acquiring space resources (Table 3 shown).
The space economy is not an economy located in space, at least not yet. But the products and technologies created by space activities are bringing many benefits and conveniences to human life on earth.
Human space activities (aerospace activities) began with the launch of the first artificial earth satellite by the former Soviet Union. Now the world launches 50 to 60 satellites (spacecraft) every year. The scale of closely related satellite applications and other industries has also expanded rapidly. Space activities The scale of the (space economy) has increased thousands of times in more than 50 years, and it is one of the fastest growing economic forms to date (similar to the Internet economy, mobile communications, bioengineering, etc.). Human society is progressing in these emerging and rapidly growing economic forms.
1. Space technology and aerospace products
Space transportation systems, space vehicle manufacturing, launch services and other aerospace products and related aerospace technologies, including military, civilian and commercial systems, etc.
2. Satellite applications - communications, navigation, remote sensing
Satellite communications, satellite navigation, and satellite remote sensing are the three main fields of satellite applications, including corresponding ground equipment manufacturing and operations Services etc. The satellite communications industry has achieved industrialization, commercialization and internationalization in developed countries such as the United States and Europe. The satellite navigation industry and satellite remote sensing industry have also begun to enter the track of industrialization. It is predicted that with the development of aerospace technology and information science and technology, the satellite application industry will gradually industrialize and commercialize, and develop in the direction of personalization and diversification. The satellite industry will tend to integrate with other industries and will maintain a high growth rate. , will reach a global market size of US$300 billion in 2010.
3. Satellite applications - space environment applications: space agriculture and space industry
Space environment applications include space breeding, space pharmaceuticals and space metallurgy, and their application fields will increase with the and continue to expand with the development of space environment applications. Humanity has been conducting space breeding since 1970, and has so far conducted space breeding on more than 400 varieties of dozens of crops including rice, wheat, corn, sorghum, cotton, and watermelon, with gratifying results. Under the same conditions, space rice and wheat seeds not only shorten the growth period, but the average yield per mu is 20% higher than using earth seeds, and the protein content increases by 8% to 20%. Space agriculture contains huge business opportunities and is increasingly developing towards industrialization. The same is true for the space industry: space has a special environment of microgravity, ultra-clean, high vacuum, deep cold, and strong radiation. Developing the space industry can refine or manufacture products with extremely high quality in terms of purity, shape, strength, and lifespan. Products, which are difficult to match by traditional industries and manufacturing on earth. Therefore, space is an ideal production base for obtaining new industrial materials and new biological products. "Things are valuable when they are scarce" and "things are valuable when they are fine", this is a universal principle in the economic field. Space products are initially valued for their rarity, but gradually reduce costs, and then "priced for their refinement." From the gestation period, development period to the maturity stage of the industry, there will be huge profits. Former Soviet astronauts have completed 14,500 scientific experiments on industrial product production on the Mir space station; the United States has listed dozens of products capable of being produced in space, and the annual income from space civilian industrial projects cannot be underestimated. In the future, humans may move some major industrial projects from the earth to some planets in space.
4. Space science
The rise and development of aerospace technology has enabled humans to break through the obstacles on the earth's surface and directly enter space or obtain data and information through various space detectors, providing Humanity has provided unprecedented conditions for understanding and researching the natural phenomena and laws of the universe. The development of various types of satellites, manned spaceflight, deep space exploration and other aerospace capabilities is the basic means to explore and utilize space, promoting space physics, space material science, space life science, space environment and space astronomy, and earth science research. Including the development of space science.
5. Application of space resources
Space contains rich energy and resource wealth. The limited resources of the earth make the development and utilization of space resources an important way to seek sustainable development. For example, helium 3, known as "super gold", as long as nuclear fusion technology matures, 100 tons of helium 3 can provide enough energy for the whole world to use for one year, and the reserves of helium 3 on the moon are as high as 3 million tons. It is reported that a large Russian energy company has proposed that they prepare to establish a base on the moon within 10 years to mine helium 3 on a large scale. As a result, the development of aerospace technology has made it possible to utilize space resources, and having such a capability will become an important weight to break through the limits of the earth and remain invincible in global competition.
6. Space energy development
Requiring energy from space is an important part of the space economy. Not only space tourism, space agriculture, and space industry require the power generated by space solar power stations , and more importantly, humans on earth need power from space.
Scientists have confirmed that seeking energy from space is not only theoretically and technically correct, but also completely feasible in implementation. The space power station converts DC power from solar panels into microwaves, and then sends the microwaves to the earth through wireless power transmission through a "power transmission antenna". A "power receiving antenna" is used on the surface of the earth to receive power transmission microwaves from space and convert the microwaves into direct current. Since it will not be affected by darkness, atmosphere, clouds, and rainy days when receiving space solar energy, the power generation will be more than 10 times the efficiency of solar power generation on earth. Space power generation will be carried out 24 hours a day and night.
Not only that, space solar power generation also has two special advantages: environmental protection, high flexibility and mobility. In the 21st century, building solar power stations in space will become a reality.
7. Space tourism
Space tourism is unique, interesting and exciting, including short-term travel in low space and travel into so-called space hotels such as space stations. Space tourism not only allows you to experience the pleasures of clothing, food, housing, and transportation in space that are completely different from those on Earth, but you can also enjoy space viewing in a space hotel, vacation on the moon, or go to Mars or even farther planets, and you can also walk in space. Enjoy the sunrise and sunset in space, and experience special leisure games such as space baseball, in-cabin golf, and space bungee jumping.
Currently, 5 people in the world have experienced space tourism. The cost of space tourism will gradually decrease. At present, more than 20 companies in the United States are actively researching space tourism rocket planes or spaceships. Taking this new type of spacecraft does not require any training and is as convenient as flying. In the future, people will further explore the possibility of moving into space.
8. Aerospace culture and space culture derivative industries
In addition to activities such as aerospace technology research and development, application and requesting resources, energy and space resources from space, with the development of human aerospace activities As it unfolds, the related cultural and service industries will also generate growing economic benefits, such as aerospace science popularization, aerospace culture, aerospace tourism, space carrying effects, advertising effects, etc.
9. Aerospace support and guarantee services
This mainly includes laws and regulations related to aerospace activities, finance, insurance, consulting services, etc. The development and deployment of aerospace products requires a large amount of capital investment and carries huge risks. Therefore, insurance is essential, especially for commercial aerospace activities. With the rapid growth of commercial aerospace activities, there is a huge demand for corresponding financial, insurance, consulting and other service industries. A report by the U.S. Space Foundation specifically quantified this activity. In 2006, space insurance revenue reached US$850 million.
10. Other related industries and service industries
This includes the development of related industries driven by the provision of related products and services for aerospace activities. For example, the cleanup of space debris in the future may be a big problem. Good project. The space activities of various countries have produced a huge amount of space debris in space, "polluting" space, a public environment for mankind, and posing a great threat to the space activities of various space-faring countries. In the future, various space-faring countries may jointly fund the establishment of a company specializing in space debris collection, processing and space junk cleanup, or jointly fund such companies to provide the above services.
3. The significance of space economy
With the development of aerospace activities, the world’s aerospace industry has shifted from initially exploring technology to enter space, exploring the universe, and ensuring national defense security, to focusing more on applications. Space technology promotes social and economic development, and the emerging "space economy" is changing every aspect of human life on earth. The "space economy" has increasingly shown the characteristics of foundation, strong correlation, high promotion and high growth, and has become an important part of world economic development and human life.
1. Basics
Today’s world has entered the information age. Satellite applications are an important part of the information industry and an important means to promote national informatization. Space is an important field of human activities in the information age. Space information is an important strategic resource for the country. The ability to acquire, process and apply space information has become the engine that promotes social and economic development. In China, the aerospace product system and its ground application system, including satellite systems, manned aircraft, new space detectors and other space platforms, constitute a space-ground integrated information application environment and play an indispensable role in the national informatization process. The role of substitution.
Satellite remote sensing can obtain earth information all-weather, all-day, high-orbit, and large-scale, playing an unparalleled role in information acquisition; satellite communications can overcome geographical barriers and provide convenient, fast, and ubiquitous information. Global communications; satellite navigation, positioning, and target monitoring have been widely used in fields including land, sea, and air transportation, emergency rescue and disaster relief, industrial and agricultural construction and production, and security and anti-theft. Satellite applications have become an important demand that is inseparable from social and economic development and people's lives.
Aerospace technology will continue to provide increasingly abundant information resources, information technology and services, becoming an important driving force for national informatization. Looking to the future, the limited resources of the earth make the development and utilization of space resources an important way out for sustainable development.
2. Strong correlation and high facilitation
As a high-tech frontier, the space economy has a strong correlation with science and technology, social progress and economic development, and is closely related to traditional industries. There is a relationship of mutual penetration, mutual promotion and synchronous development. It is the "engine" of social economic and technological progress and will continue to promote the development of productivity.
Statistical analysis experts from the United States, Europe and China have used different models and methods to conduct multiple studies and evaluations on the economic and social benefits of the aerospace industry. The conclusion is that: the investment output of various governments in the aerospace field The output ratio ranges from 1:7 to 1:14, which shows the important driving role of aerospace investment in the national economy. The direct benefits, driving benefits and radiation benefits of my country's manned spaceflight have also reached tens of billions of yuan.
First, stimulate basic industries. Aerospace technology, payload technology, information processing technology, etc. require the support of the development of machinery, electronics, materials, energy, communications, information and other industries. Through the "demand effect" of technological development, they will form a strong and effective incentive and driving effect on the above-mentioned industries. For example, 80% of the more than 1,100 new materials developed and used in China in recent years were developed under the guidance of aerospace technology, and nearly 2,000 aerospace technology achievements have been transplanted to various sectors of the national economy. From the perspective of industrial supporting, the aerospace manufacturing industry can directly promote the development of components, subsystems, raw materials and other related supporting industries.
Secondly, drive the application industry. The development of aerospace technology and its industrialization will continue to promote the development of satellite remote sensing, satellite communications, navigation and positioning, digital earth and other related industries as well as the information industry. The integration of satellite navigation and positioning (GPS), geographical information system (GIS), satellite remote sensing (RS) and satellite communications (3S+C), network GPS personalized mobile information, etc., various combinations and forms will provide satellite Applications open up new fields.
Once again, transform traditional industries. Through the development of the aerospace application industry, we will continue to promote the structural adjustment and upgrading of traditional industries, so that they can make full use of the achievements of modern information technology, transform into knowledge-intensive industries, and greatly improve production efficiency and social and economic benefits.
At the same time, in the process of aerospace development, a large number of unique core technologies and capabilities such as design, production, and testing have been widely and rapidly promoted and expanded in other technical fields through the transfer of results, directly Promote technological progress and industrial upgrading of related industries. For example, solar energy technology, environmentally friendly desulfurization technology, etc. can help reduce energy and material consumption and reduce environmental pollution.
Finally, promote basic science and support space science. The rise and development of aerospace technology has promoted the development of many basic sciences such as applied mathematics, microgravity science, microelectronics, informatics, and materials science. The application of space platforms has enabled humans to break through the obstacles on the earth's surface and directly enter space. Or obtain data and information through various space detectors, which provides unprecedented conditions for human understanding and research of natural phenomena and laws of the universe, and plays an important supporting role in the development of space science. In addition, in the process of extending the aerospace industry chain, new technologies and knowledge industries are constantly derived through the intersection, integration and integration with various industries, especially contemporary high-tech industries such as electronics, information, biology, energy and materials, and promote some The proliferation of new subject branches, such as satellite meteorology, satellite oceanography, satellite surveying and mapping, etc.
It can be seen that aerospace technology has the characteristics of wide coverage, radiation and strong driving force. While developing rapidly, it has had an extremely broad and profound impact on the entire contemporary scientific and technological structure, pulling and led to a series of scientific and technological progress. More importantly, aerospace technology is becoming increasingly mature, and its application scope covers almost all fields of social and economic life. The space economy has increasingly become an irreplaceable component of world economic development.
3. High growth
In today's world, the main competition is reflected in the economic aspect, and the "space economy" is undoubtedly a brand new growth point. In 2006, the global aerospace budget and revenue reached US$219.7 billion, an increase of 18% from US$186.31 billion in 2005. At the end of the 20th century, satellite applications covered almost all areas of social and economic life, spawning a large number of emerging industries and becoming a new growth point for the global economy. By using the universe - space and outer space, we can accomplish many things that cannot be done on earth and solve many problems that cannot be solved on earth. The space economy, with the space industry as its core, and also including the infinitely huge outer space industry in the future, will enable us to truly break through the limitations of space, break through the limitations of earth's resources, and open up new national defense and economic territories.
4. The Enlightenment of the Space Economy to China’s Aerospace
Vigorously developing the space economy and competing for the right to develop and utilize space resources are goals pursued by countries around the world, especially the major space powers. Space and the universe are not only commercially available, but are also closely related to national security. If a country wants to seize the commanding heights of future development, it must vigorously develop a space economy that can take into account national security and international competitiveness. At the height of the space hegemony between the United States and the Soviet Union in the last century, U.S. President Kennedy famously said: "Whoever can effectively control space can effectively control the earth." In the same vein, the United States in the Reagan era launched the "Star Wars Project." In 2006, the United States revised its space policy for the first time in nearly a decade and established a series of strategic goals aimed at establishing absolute military superiority in space. NASA stated that it would spare no effort to innovate in the field of space exploration in order to make the United States a leader in the "space economy." Always be at the forefront and gain the greatest benefits.
Vigorously developing the space economy is also of vital significance to my country's economic and social development. According to predictions by experts from the United States and the World Bank, China's economic aggregate will rival that of the United States in the next 30 years. It is foreseeable that to achieve such a goal, we must not rely solely on the existing economic development model. To achieve good and rapid economic and social development, China needs new economic growth points, new driving forces for technological innovation, and needs to constantly create new products and services that are highly motivating and widely applicable.
According to the experience of the United States and Europe’s aerospace powers and China’s existing practices, space exploration and development and utilization are important driving forces of technological innovation. The role of the space economy in stimulating technological innovation, transforming traditional industries, stimulating economic vitality, and transforming development methods, etc. Very prominent. If China wants to occupy a favorable position in the fierce international competition in the future and achieve its national strategic goals, it must continue to carry out space-based innovation and must not hesitate to join the competition in the space economy.
China’s aerospace science and technology industry is the core force of the space economy and shoulders the important task of promoting the accelerated development of the space economy. For the space economy, space projects are the carrier of development, national economic strength, industrial and technical conditions are the foundation, and aerospace enterprises are the main body of development. Facing the fierce competition in space in the future and the competition in comprehensive national strength, the aerospace science and technology industry must face the needs of national strategy and national economic development, build an innovative, open, and integrated new aerospace science and technology industry system, from aerospace product manufacturers to systems Integrators and application service providers are transforming from a support type focused on model tasks to a capability type focusing on military-civilian integration development, and from the three main businesses focusing on manufacturing to the four main businesses focusing on both manufacturing and services.
Facing the future, we must vigorously develop core aerospace capabilities, constantly pursue leap-forward development of aerospace technology and products, ensure independent mastery of world-class aerospace technology, and become an important force in the international aerospace field. Aerospace products must achieve systematic and industrial development, form effective strategic deterrence capabilities and the ability to win emergencies, be oriented to integrated space and earth applications, provide space infrastructure that supports national informatization and social and economic development, and promote the future space economy. Development space platform.
Strengthen the advantages of aerospace system integration and technology, actively extend and expand the aerospace industry chain, and vigorously develop outstanding benefits, brand excellence, innovation capabilities and market development with satellite applications and aerospace technology application products and services as the core. High-end industries with strong capabilities create social and economic needs through aerospace technology innovation, continuously promote the development of the aerospace application industry, and enhance the sustainable development capabilities of the aerospace technology industry.
According to the principle of aerospace technology innovation guiding the development of space economy, in the fields of space environment, space resources, space energy development and utilization, we will guide the formation of emerging industries, develop aerospace cultural industry, continuously create future value and create new products and services, forming new economic growth points and continuously making new contributions to the sustainable development of my country's social economy.
In short, we must welcome the era of space economy, stand at a new historical starting point, build an innovative, open, and integrated new system of aerospace science and technology industry, achieve a new leap forward in the aerospace science and technology industry, and lay the foundation for a prosperous country and a strong military. The aerospace industry foundation, the industrial foundation that leads the development of the space economy, and the innovation foundation that drives the development of science and technology can realize the sustainable development of China's aerospace industry, support my country's progress from a major aerospace country to a powerful aerospace country, and promote the sound and rapid development of my country's social economy. It is China's Aerospace is an unshirkable strategic mission.