China Space Activities and International Cooperation

Presentation

China Space Activities and International Cooperation

Speaker: Prof. Gongling Sun

The presentation provides an overview of China’s development as a major spacefaring nation, from the historical origins of rocket technology to its modern space programs. It highlights the important role of Qian Xuesen in establishing China’s space activities and identifies major organizations.

China’s space activities cover a broad range of areas, including launch vehicles, telecommunications, navigation (BeiDou), Earth observation, space science, human spaceflight, lunar exploration, Mars and deep-space missions, and ground
infrastructure. The presentation also describes China’s space station, lunar exploration program, and plans for future deep-space exploration.

The presentation emphasizes that China’s space strategy combines domestic technological development with international partnerships and commercial cooperation, with future opportunities including joint satellite manufacturing, launcher marketing, research and development, technology transfer, and broader government-level cooperation.

Prof. Gongling Sun is dean of Beihang–INSA Institute For Applied Sustainable Sciences and Technology and Principal Scientist at Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific (Affiliated to the United Nations).

He held several senior executive positions in space industry both in China and Europe. He was a system engineer of launch vehicle design and project manager of Intelsat–7A satellite launching services in China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT). He became a founding member of China Manned Space Office and worked as General Designer Assistant and senior engineer in China Manned Space Program. After the maiden flight of the program, he moved to Munich and worked as Managing Director of EuraSpace GmbH, a company of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) and European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS), for 8 years. He founded CASC European Office based in Paris in 2000 and served as the Prime Representative from until 2017. Mr. Sun worked as educator since 2017. He was a full professor of Space System Engineering and Space Policy, faculty lead to Business and Management in Masters of Space Studies, co-chair many team projects in Space Studies Programs at International Space University (ISU), where he is deputy dean as well.

Prof. Gongling Sun is member of International Academy of Astronautics. As an expert of system design for human space flight, space business development, large project management, project financing and insurance, and export license management, Prof. Sun played an important role for international cooperation in space activities between China and Europe in last 30 years.