The Space Insider Market Intelligence Platform provides a continuously updated analysis of this rapidly evolving sector. Our latest China Space Industry Market Map identifies 270 key players, tracks emerging technologies, and outlines investment opportunities, providing an in-depth view of the market’s trajectory. We have also published a comprehensive report, China’s Space Industry: A Strategic Overview, offering a high-level view of China’s space ambitions, technical capacity, and commercial activity—including launch, satellite manufacturing, and investment trends.

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Mapping China’s Space Ecosystem: Structure, Segments, and Strategic Focus

China’s space sector is organized around a vertically integrated model anchored by state-owned giants and increasingly populated by commercial firms with targeted capabilities. Our team has provided a comprehensive market map based on the Space Insider Market Intelligence Platform that tracks over 500 active entities, spanning upstream, midstream, and downstream segments, as well as research institutions and state regulators​. While the market map that lists 270 key players is detailed, it is not exhaustive – if you notice an entity that should be included, please contact the Space Insider Team!

Upstream: Space Infrastructure & Development

This segment includes launch vehicle manufacturers, satellite builders, propulsion developers, and subsystems providers. It is dominated by state institutions but is increasingly including private firms. These entities provide the physical backbone of China’s space capability — from rockets and satellites to propulsion systems and payload electronics.

Midstream: Operations & Mission Services

Midstream actors manage satellite constellations, mission planning, ground control systems, and secure data relay. This segment bridges technical deployment with commercial utility, often blending civil and defense functions under a unified operational command structure.

Downstream: Space-Enabled Applications

China’s downstream space market spans EO data analytics, satellite internet, smart city integration, and agricultural monitoring. It includes public-private hybrids and pure commercial firms that use satellite data to power AI-based decision platforms for logistics, urban planning, and environmental surveillance.

Institutional & Research Layer

Underpinning all segments is a dense network of academic institutions, national laboratories, and funding bodies. These entities contribute to satellite design, materials science, and communications R&D. They often spin-off or license tech to commercial players, ensuring scientific advancement remains tied to national capability development.

Launch Capabilities: Anchored in State Players, Pushed Forward by Private Firms

At the core of China’s launch infrastructure are two state-backed giants: the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST). These institutions have launched over 1,200 satellites since the 1970s and collectively dominate the Long March rocket family portfolio. 

The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT)

CALT, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), has delivered over 628 satellite launches since 1970. Its portfolio includes the Long March series, ranging from early hypergolic models to heavy-lift cryogenic variants like Long March 5, and the upcoming 150-tonne-capacity Long March 9 planned for 2033​.

The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST)

SAST, another CASC subsidiary, is responsible for mid-lift launch systems like the Long March 2D, 4B, and 6A. SAST has launched 626 satellites to date and plays a critical role in medium-payload delivery to LEO and SSO orbits​.

Complementing these legacy players are rising private firms including:

LandSpace

In 2023, LandSpace became the first company worldwide to launch a methane-fueled rocket (Zhuque-2) to orbit. It is developing a reusable stainless-steel rocket, Zhuque-3, with vertical takeoff and landing (VTVL) capabilities​.

Space Pioneer (Beijing Tianbing Technology)

Achieved China’s first successful maiden launch of a liquid-fueled rocket by a private company in 2023. Its Tianlong-3 aims to compete in reusable medium-lift markets​.

Beijing Xingtu (Space Trek)

Specializes in rapid-response, solid-fueled small launchers for both civil and defense applications. Though not yet orbital, the company has laid a technical foundation with suborbital launches and aerospace computing services​.

These commercial entrants signal growing diversity in China’s launch service landscape, though all maintain close technical or financial links with state bodies.

Manufacturing Powerhouses: From State-Controlled to Agile Commercial Operators

China’s manufacturing capabilities are led by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), which has built over 300 spacecraft and serves as the prime contractor for most government and military space programs. CAST provides complete end-to-end services—from design and testing to in-orbit commissioning—and retains ownership of select assets, including the Gaosu Jiguang Zuanshi constellation​.

Alongside CAST, several specialized manufacturers support the broader space ecosystem:

• Chang Guang Satellite Technology (CGSTL): Operator of the Jilin-1 constellation, CGSTL has launched 193 Earth observation satellites since 2015, making it China’s largest commercial satellite manufacturer by volume​.
• Shandong Aerospace Electronic Technology Institute (SISET): Focused on avionics and microelectronics, SISET supplies critical systems to the Beidou constellation and the Tiangong space station. It owns and operates its own satellite, Tianyan-15​.
• Xi’an Institute of Space Radio Technology (XISRT): A CAST subsidiary delivering over 300 space radio payloads for flagship missions such as Chang’e and Tianwen. Its work underpins China’s high-precision satellite comms and navigation architecture​.

SSST at the Forefront: China’s Top-Funded Commercial Space Firm

Among the commercial space firms tracked, SpaceSail (SSST) is the top-funded private company. Specializing in satellite manufacturing, remote sensing, and downstream EO data services, SSST has become a significant commercial actor in China’s Earth observation sector.

While not as globally visible as CGSTL or iSpace, SpaceSail’s investment profile and vertical integration strategy reflect a broader trend: commercial players absorbing government technology and capital to build semi-independent operations. The firm collaborates with both public institutions and private launch providers and is positioned to expand further into satellite analytics, AI-based monitoring, and maritime domain awareness solutions.

As of the latest tracked data, SpaceSail leads all commercial Chinese space firms in cumulative funding raised, benefiting from strong local government support, defense-linked contracts, and strategic integration with urban and environmental planning platforms.

Investment Activity and Market Trends: Capitalizing on State and Venture Support

Since 2020, Chinese commercial space companies have raised over $5 billion in funding, with financial support split between state-led industrial funds and private venture capital. This hybrid structure gives emerging firms access to capital while aligning them with national priorities such as broadband expansion, EO coverage, and strategic autonomy.

Key State-Linked Investment Vehicles

National Manufacturing Transformation and Upgrading Fund (NMTUF)

A central government initiative focused on advancing high-tech industrial capacity. In space, NMTUF has backed launch firms like LandSpace and infrastructure providers like Space Pioneer, often leading funding rounds to de-risk early-stage R&D.

China Aerospace Investment Holdings

A subsidiary of CASC that operates as a strategic investment platform. It funds companies aligned with China’s broader space roadmap, including Beijing Xingtu and other firms working on rapid-launch and communications capabilities.

China Central Television (CCTV) Fund

While not a traditional space fund, CCTV Fund supports high-profile, politically aligned innovation projects. It has invested in Space Pioneer, signaling an interest in shaping public narratives around Chinese commercial space progress.

CITIC Construction Investment and China International Capital Corporation (CICC)

Both are influential state-connected financial institutions with growing exposure to aerospace startups. Their involvement often marks the transition of a firm from experimental to market-ready, as seen in later rounds for Space Pioneer.

Notable Venture-Backed Firms:

Spacety

A leader in small satellite development and rideshare missions, Spacety operates at the intersection of EO and commercial launch demand. It also produces satellite platforms for third parties, including foreign clients.

LandSpace

With over $459 million raised, LandSpace focuses on reusable, methane-fueled rockets and is best known for Zhuque-2. It has drawn funding from Sequoia Capital China, Lightspeed China, and Matrix Partners, reflecting strong venture confidence in its propulsion R&D.

TsingShen

A newer entrant specializing in AI-enabled space applications, TsingShen works on integrating EO analytics and onboard AI processing. It has attracted funding from regional development funds and early-stage VC firms focused on deep tech.

Galactic Energy

A commercial launcher known for its Ceres-1 rocket, Galactic Energy has executed multiple successful launches and serves a growing domestic customer base. It benefits from institutional support and a leaner operational model than state-owned launchers.

Chang Guang Satellite Technology (CGSTL)

Though partially state-backed, CGSTL operates as a commercial entity. It has received investment from Matrix Partners China and Shenzhen Capital Group and has commercialized its Jilin-1 EO constellation for industries ranging from agriculture to disaster response.

This blend of policy-guided investment and competitive venture capital has created a semi-open innovation ecosystem — one that ensures alignment with national objectives while enabling technical differentiation and market-driven growth.

Final Thoughts: A Controlled but Competitive Market

China’s space sector remains largely state-driven, but private participation is growing, particularly in launch services and Earth observation. Commercial players often rely on state institutions for funding, regulatory approvals, and technical support, creating a hybrid model of market-based activity within a centralized framework. The model has proven capable of scaling both capability and access—domestically and globally.

For commercial space players worldwide, China’s space ecosystem represents both a source of potential collaboration and a competitive reference point in a shifting geopolitical landscape.

Access the Full Market Intelligence List and Report

This market map is just the beginning. We have also published a comprehensive report offering a high-level view of China’s space ambitions, technical capacity, and commercial activity—including launch, satellite manufacturing, and investment trends.

While the full report is only available on the Space Insider Market Intelligence Platform, we’re offering free access to a preview of the report, including the China Space Industry Market Map!

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Why Choose Space Insider?

While China’s space ecosystem is complex, it is fully navigable with the right data. The Space Insider Intelligence Platform empowers global space tech leaders, public agencies, and investors with structured, real-time visibility into more than 500 Chinese entities—spanning funding flows, strategic partnerships, and emerging technological capabilities. Whether evaluating market entry, mitigating investment risk, or benchmarking competitors, our AI-powered analytics and expert-led advisory services provide the clarity and foresight needed to lead with confidence.

Unlike static market reports, Space Insider delivers continuously updated insights sourced from over 100,000 data points, transforming fragmented information into decision-ready intelligence. Trusted by organizations such as NASA, ESA, and global quantum security leaders, we help industry stakeholders stay ahead in an increasingly strategic and fast-moving market.

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Big rockets get all the glory. Their glamour is undeniable; the monstrous Saturn V brought humans to the moon, after all, and those thunderous launches – blinding displays of fire, flame, and sheer power – are a sight to behold. Such heavy-lifters, however, are but the tip of the iceberg. Most orbital rockets being developed today fall into the class of small – or even micro launchers: tiny but mighty vehicles designed specifically to launch small satellites. Despite their strength in numbers, their existence is already being threatened by their bigger cousins, who promise customers cheaper, more efficient trips to space – but small launchers still have a few tricks up their sleeves. Will these be enough to survive in the ever-changing business of space?

Best Small Rocket Companies

1. Rocket Lab (USA)

Rocket Lab is the undisputed king of small rockets. The company, based in both New Zealand and the US, was founded in 2006 – just four years after SpaceX – and is becoming one of the latter’s strongest competitors. Rocket Lab’s current champion is Electron, an 18-meter-tall rocket capable of lifting 300kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), launching from pads in New Zealand and the US. As of October 2023, the rocket has launched 41 times and deployed 171 satellites to orbit (though it is currently grounded due to a mishap that occurred during its most recent flight). Electron’s pièce de resistance is its Rutherford engines, which run on electric pumps. With these, the company claims to achieve 90% of the efficiency of traditional engines (whose pumps are powered by the rocket’s propellant) while being much simpler to produce. 

Additive manufacturing, of which 3D printing plays a vital part, lies at the heart of Rutherford’s production process since churning out rockets at a breakneck pace is key to the company’s vision. ‘Every detail of Electron has been designed for rapid production to support frequent and reliable launch for small satellites’, states Electron’s user guide. Rocket Lab is also experimenting with reusability, having already retrieved a booster from the ocean and reusing an engine; the next step is to reuse an entire booster.

In addition to producing several space systems – including Photon, a satellite bus in use by NASA and manufacturing hopefuls Varda – Rocket Lab is developing Neutron, its 43-meter-tall reusable next-generation vehicle. With a tentative maiden launch date set for 2024, Neutron’s advertised payload capability of 13,000kg to LEO places it staunchly in the medium-lift category, widening the company’s customer base.

USA Honorable Mentions: Firefly, Relativity, ABL Space Systems, Stoke Space

Visit the company’s profile page.

2. Galactic Energy (China)

Though the commercial small rocket revolution started as a mostly American phenomenon, China also boasts a varied, albeit younger, array of startups hoping to get in on the action. 

The most prolific of these is Beijing-based Galactic Energy, which, despite its mere 5 years of age, has launched ten times (nine of them successful). So far, the company only launched its Ceres-1 rocket, a four-stage, 18-meter-tall vehicle capable of lifting 400kg to LEO. The rocket’s first three stages run on solid propellant, while the final stage uses hydrazine. Its payloads have included missions by private enterprises and a university, as well as some state-owned satellites.

The latter’s presence on the launch manifestos is especially significant given the sheer amount of Chinese state-owned rockets, including the workhorse solid-propellant small launcher Kuaizhou (operated by ExPace, a commercial subsidiary of a state-owned missile and rocket enterprise). A quick response time is a key advantage of small rockets – especially solid-propelled ones – and it seems Galactic Energy is looking to expand on this flexibility by experimenting with sea launches, which are less disruptive while providing access to a greater range of orbits.

Galactic Energy’s next project is its Pallas-1 rocket, a liquid-fueled vehicle that would launch up to 5 tons to LEO. Like the Falcon 9, its first stage features landing legs and grid fins, designed for a vertical landing.

China Honorable Mentions: LandSpace, i-space, Space Pioneer, Orienspace

Visit the company’s profile page.

3. Skyrora (Europe and UK)

Europe’s commercial launch sector has long been controlled by giant Arianespace, but despite a more conservative financial climate, several small rocket companies are beginning to stake their claims in the field. 

Scotland-based Skyrora is one of them. The company, founded in 2017, already has several launches under its belt. Its rockets are still in the experimental stages, with the most recent test of its suborbital Skylark L ending with a premature dip in the sea. Its new beast is the Skyrora XL rocket, standing 22.7 meters tall and designed to ferry 315kg to a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). 

Like many of its peers, Skyrora is also structured around flexibility and responsiveness, with additive manufacturing once again playing a vital part in the production process (the company claims these printers will one day be able to work in space). A mobile launch complex, made up of modular components, is another feature implemented for flexibility. Skyrora promises ‘rapid, erectable methods of construction’ that ‘enable launch vehicle and spacecraft assembly and testing’ at a variety of sites. As for the vehicle itself, the XL’s third stage is designed to offer greater orbital versatility. A space tug based on this component is also in development. The latter is tweaked for the environment of space and will be tasked with lugging satellites to different orbits to avoid launching them separately. 

Europe and UK Honorable mentions: PLD Space, Rocket Factory Augsburg, Isar Aerospace, HyImpulse

Visit the company’s profile page.

4. Skyroot (India)

When the space industry began taking off, India took note. A bureaucratic reshuffle around 2020 made it much easier for a host of fledgling commercial companies to enter the scene, which previously lay mostly in the realm of government. 

Among these companies is Skyroot, a Hyderabad-based startup founded in 2018. It conducted its maiden launch in November 2022 with the flight of the suborbital Vikram-S, which became the first privately-developed Indian rocket to reach space. Its successor, the solid-fueled Vikram-I, is set to make its debut in 2024, where it will launch two French companies’ satellites. The vehicle is advertised as being capable of placing 480kg into a low-inclination orbit of 500 kilometers in altitude (LEO). Later models – Vikrams II and III – expand this payload capacity to 595k and 815kg, respectively, and feature liquid propulsion on the upper stage. 

As with many other small rocket companies, Skyroot is aiming to rely on flexibility, frequency, and responsiveness to catch customers’ attention, claiming that Vikram-I ‘can be assembled and launched within 24 hours from any launch site’. Skyroot also hopes to build up a twice-monthly launch cadence by 2025, which is further helped by its 3D-printing of components. Another selling point is cost; India’s space missions are famously cheap, and Skyroot cofounder Pawan Kumar Chandana claims that ‘the cost efficiency of operating out of India’ is a linchpin in lowering costs and attracting business. 

Visit the company’s profile page.

India Honorable Mention: AngiKul

The Rise of Small Rocket Companies

Small rockets have been around since the 1950s, but their recent heyday – which is driven by commercial companies – only came about during the last two decades or so. During the early 2000s, the US’s commercial launch sector was rather barren. Two companies – Boeing and Lockheed Martin’s space branches, who later joined to form United Launch Alliance (ULA) – and their exorbitantly high launch prices dominated the American space field. The commercial launch market had long migrated to Europe and Russia, whose (at least partially) state-run services boasted much more affordable prices. Meanwhile, the US industry was built around winning government contracts, such as launching satellites for the military or probes for NASA.

In the background, however, things were beginning to shift, and three factors in particular caused a palpable change in the US industry. 

Firstly, several young, hungry space startups were popping up, and this new generation had no intention of following in their predecessors’ footsteps. Forget Earth orbit; they were eyeing up living on Mars, building massive space stations, or making space tourism as normal as hopping on a plane. The most important of these companies was SpaceX, which hoped to extend life to other planets – but to get there, they needed a rocket.

This lofty ambition eventually led to the Falcon 9, a partially reusable medium-lift vehicle that, short of being Mars-rated, turned the Earthly space industry on its head. Its self-landing boosters, which are reused after launch, save on manufacturing costs and turnaround time, resulting in rapid launch cadences and prices no competitor can dream of matching. Customers soon came crawling, and newer launch companies, taking note of SpaceX’s meteoric rise, are now hoping to siphon off some of this business for themselves.

However, SpaceX would very likely have faltered were it not for another sea change in the US industry during the dawn of the millennium: increased governmental outsourcing. The period, already marked with efforts to privatize governmental services, saw NASA looking for new ways to contract with the commercial sector, as described by The Verge. This included a shift towards fixed-price contracts, which involved NASA awarding a company a set fee to help develop a certain product or service, and, once complete, paying for it per use. The model became a godsend for both parties. NASA does not pay as much for development compared to models of the past, while the company gets a nice boost for a product it can ultimately sell to other customers outside of NASA (and is guaranteed a customer in the space agency).

SpaceX benefited heavily from this scheme; in fact, it was a NASA contract following SpaceX’s first successful launch that snatched the company from the jaws of bankruptcy in 2008. This public-private partnership has now extended to most of the US space industry, especially launches. The commercial industry, led by SpaceX, is setting the standard for low launch prices and is making orbit more accessible than ever before.

The final factor influencing today’s launch industry is the miniaturization and standardization of technology, specifically satellites. Moore’s Law, which predicts that the number of transistors per microprocessor doubles every two years, burst into the space industry in the form of smallsats: tiny, light satellites that are just as capable, if not more so, than older, bigger ones. The CubeSat – standardized smallsat units made from commercial off-the-shelf components – emerged around the turn of the century. These developments made it easier and cheaper for companies to build and launch satellites, further opening up the business potential of orbit. Their mark on the industry is obvious: 89% of spacecraft launched in 2022 were smallsats, many of which are part of constellations made up of up to thousands of them.

Smaller satellites should call for smaller rockets, then – right? Unfortunately for small launch companies, the reality is not quite so peachy. Bigger rockets like the Falcon 9 are still smallsats’ go-to for one reason: their price. SpaceX’s Transporter rideshare missions offer trips to space at as little as US $5,500 a kilo, while its top competitor Rocket Lab prices are nearly five times higher.

Read also: Top 5 Small Satellite Companies In The World

So why bother with small rockets at all? One consideration is flexibility. A bigger rocket like the Falcon 9 might be cheap but will dump all its passengers out in one go, meaning the satellites must either make do with where they are or carry extra engines and fuel to propel themselves into their desired orbit. Smaller rockets, meanwhile, might not be able to carry as many satellites at once but can chauffeur their payload right to its orbit without worrying about any other passengers. The difference can be thought of as taking a bus versus a more expensive cab. This is one selling point many small launchers are milking to the max, with a handful of launch companies also developing orbital transfer vehicles (OTVs) that can further increase flexibility or bring two payloads to different orbits.

Small rockets can, in theory, also be more responsive, or readily available to access space than their bigger siblings. According to Rocket Lab’s Peter Beck, launching frequently is ‘the absolute most important thing’ when it comes to increasing access to orbit. This is one downside of rideshare missions, as the launching company must wait for all spots to be filled up, whereas a small rocket is ready to go with one or two smallsats. This can make them advantageous for replacing damaged satellites or even responsive military space missions, as recently demonstrated by US company Firefly Aerospace. Smaller rockets are also logistically easier to set up and launch, requiring less extensive infrastructure than bigger ones. Several companies are working to accelerate this further by implementing supply chains and 3D printing into the manufacturing process – most notably the US’s Relativity Space – and even offering mobile launch sites for bespoke missions.

Read also: Top 6 Rocket Manufacturers Shaping The Space Industry

Achievements Reached by Small Rocket Companies

Small rocketry has yet to take over the commercial launch scene, which is primarily cornered by SpaceX and a few other larger launchers. Only two small rocket companies – Rocket Lab and Galactic Energy – are launching somewhat regularly, while their competitors are still finding their feet. Still, an early achievement reached by small rocket companies is their numbers: the market niche addressed by small launchers is attracting the attention of hundreds of startups. The reduced cash and infrastructure required to build and operate these vehicles – as well as a higher tolerance for risk within the industry – make it easier for companies to enter the arena. As a result, regions of the world where establishing a launch company would have been near-impossible in the past – such as Europe and India – are now seeing their first domestic rocket startups.

This phenomenon highlights another significant achievement (and opportunity) for small rockets, as Europe in particular is currently experiencing a launch vacuum. Two of Arianespace’s rockets – the Ariane series and the Soyuz – are currently out of commission, leaving only the small-lift Vega. Europe therefore has very limited means to reach orbit on its own. In the US, this problem was solved by the rise of commercial rocket companies (many of them small) and, eventually, SpaceX’s prominence. Such an industry in Europe can help address the continent’s domestic space needs without relying on a single provider. Domestic launchers could also help draw in commercial business, which is key to the UK’s goal of becoming Europe’s leader smallsat launch provider by 2030. As a bonus, small rockets lend themselves well to responsive space missions, which can support companies hoping to test out their satellites fast, or governments requiring quick access to space.

Though not a widespread achievement yet, companies in the small rocket business are using their expertise to develop bigger, more capable vehicles. Rocket Lab and Galactic Energy, two leaders in the niche, are prime examples of this. Entering the industry via the small rocket scene – compared to jumping straight into building larger, more ambitious vehicles – allows companies to gather expertise in the field (as well as funding, contracts, and a reputation) at a much lower price than tackling bigger beasts right away. They can then pursue the latter with more success (SpaceX, for example, started off with the small-lift Falcon 1 before developing the now-iconic Falcon 9).  

Future Trends

Despite the rapid onslaught of small rocket companies in recent years, the outlooks are decidedly less than optimistic. Of the almost 200 small launchers worldwide, Steve Jurvetson, co-founder of venture capitalist Future Ventures, estimates 100 will fall to bankruptcy within two years. ‘You have a lot of companies chasing [small rockets]. It’s not clear to what end,’ he says (as reported by SpaceNews). 

The price for the comparative ease of entering the industry through small rockets, it seems, is being stuck in a dry business already rife with fierce competition. While small launchers are theoretically better primed for availability and responsiveness, only a handful of companies are required to fulfill these needs, and the niche is rapidly filling up. Space analysis firm Euroconsult also foresees continued growth in smallsat constellations, which are easier to pack onto a big rocket rather than launch one by one. The swarm of small rocket companies must then compete fiercely for the few customers not lost to SpaceX. For another twist of the knife, the rocket business is already a notoriously perilous one as is, with many companies folding before they are fully up and running. 

However, not all hope is lost. Some companies may benefit from their geopolitical circumstances. China, for example, lacks access to SpaceX’s rideshares, making small rockets a more viable option. Other companies still might use small rockets as a stepping stone to graduate to larger ones, following in the footsteps of SpaceX, which is currently effectively a monopoly. Though nobody has nailed SpaceX’s method of landing and reusing boosters quite yet (aside from Blue Origin’s suborbital New Shepard rockets), it is in the small rocket niche that such experiments are taking place. 

It is hard to overstate just how much influence SpaceX wields in the rocket business; after the company’s first Transporter rideshare mission, ‘the number of smallsats launched on small launchers just fell off a cliff’, according to Fletcher Franklin, senior program manager of analytics firm BryceTech. Competitors’ complaints about SpaceX’s seemingly endlessly deep pockets and ruthless pricing are becoming an increasingly common sound in the industry.  

Then there is Starship to consider. SpaceX’s still-prototypical monster rocket – the biggest in history – is designed to be fully reusable and capable of launching 150 metric tons to LEO in this configuration (250 if expended). Entire space stations or smallsat constellations could be launched aboard it at once. Such a whopping aspiration comes at a price; SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk estimates that the rocket could cost up to US $10 billion in development costs, with US $2 billion to be spent in 2023 alone. This suggests that Musk’s prediction of a US $10 million launch cost within two to three years might take a while to come about. 

If and when it does, though, it might mean curtains for even more small rockets. While the launch price would probably be more than US $10 million, SpaceX could still offer trips to orbit at a few hundred bucks a kilo, making even the Falcons’ current bargain prices of US $5,500/kg (for rideshare) look like a rip-off. Musk’s predictions should always be taken with a grain of salt, but the Starship threat is already being taken seriously in the industry. Justin Cadman, co-CEO of space analytics firm Quilty Space, calls it a potential ‘game changer’. Abhishek Tripathi, a former SpaceX employee and current mission operations director at the University of California, Berkeley, Space Sciences Laboratory, agrees. ‘If you are not preparing for… how you’re going to change your business model to work with Starship, you are going to be in trouble’, he says (as reported by SpaceNews). Tripathi even advises smallsat operators to work with companies specializing in space tugs to get their satellites into the right orbit, so significant are the benefits provided by a Starship launch. 

The issue of waiting for a rideshare to fill up before launch might still persist – especially with such a big vehicle – so small rockets may not go extinct completely. However, Musk has claimed the rocket will eventually launch multiple times a day. If Starship can get anywhere close to that – and demand persists – the space industry and the role of rockets big and small will be forever changed.

Though Starship still looms in the future, one thing is clear: in a harsh industry like this, only the strongest rockets can survive.

For more market insights, check out our latest space industry news.

Featured image: Electron rocket. Credit: Rocket Lab

Types of Space Companies and What They Do

This commercialization might be particularly obvious these days, but parts of it have been around since before humans landed on the moon (the Telstar 1 satellite, launched in 1962, constituted the first commercial use of space). Today, companies have saturated every aspect of the industry, and when we talk about the best space companies, we often refer to those that excel in each of these five main categories: launching, satellite manufacturing, satellite ground operations, orbital services, and technology relating to research and space exploration/colonization. 

A large chunk of the manufacturing of satellites and some rockets is taken over by heavyweight contractors such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Airbus – but these are not solely space companies, often focusing on general aerospace and defense technologies. Also, some governmental agencies might function as contractors themselves and can feature a commercial arm. The list below will focus on non-state companies whose primary specialism is space.

16+ Best Space Companies

Space Exploration 

ispace 

The sobering moment when it became clear that ispace’s lunar lander’s touchdown on the moon had not gone smoothly was captured on livestream for all to see on April 25th, 2023. The lander’s failure (which also carried several customer payloads) was particularly painful as ispace was about to make history by becoming the first company to land on the moon – but the company has bigger plans, anyway. Based in Japan, ispace’s single focus is the moon: how to land on it, explore it, and, finally, live on it. On its website, a quick video goes over the company’s vision, which is to establish a populous city on the moon – called Moon Valley – within the century. 

On January 15th, 2025, ispace launched its RESILIENCE lander for the second time. The lander is expected to land on the moon on June 6th, 2025, marking the company’s second attempt at landing on the moon after its first mission failure. According to ispace, the mission is running smoother than the first, with the lander looking to achieve its upcoming mission success milestones.  

If RESILIENCE successfully lands, ispace’s TENACIOUS micro rover will be deployed on the moon for regolith extraction of resources. Looking to the future, ispace is looking to launch its third mission in 2026 and fourth in 2027 using a new series of landers. 

Blue Origin 

Blue Origin is better known for sending tourists to the edge of space and publicly squabbling with both SpaceX and Virgin Galactic, but its quiet strength lies in bolstering exploration efforts. With its lunar lander proposal already having been contracted by NASA (alongside SpaceX’s modified rocket design), the company was recently awarded another healthy sum by the agency to develop and demonstrate its Blue Alchemist technology: solar panels made from lunar regolith. This breakthrough, which Blue first unveiled in February 2023, could make significant strides toward colonization by providing future lunar cities with heaps of energy. Its method of in-situ resource utilization – using only locally available materials for a given process – could also be used for other purposes, including oxygen extraction and construction (as reported by Ars Technica). Blue Origin, known for its cutting-edge innovations, is also recognized as one of the best companies to work for, fostering a culture of excellence and exploration in the aerospace industry.

To date, Blue Origin has launched 12 passenger flights and 64 passengers to space, including celebrities such as Katy Perry, NFL legend Michael Strahan, and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos. While tickets on board cost a pretty penny, Blue Origin is becoming a leader in sending tourists to space, commercializing space flight. 

Visit company’s profile page.

See also: Blue Origin’S HLS

SpaceX

Today, SpaceX rules the launch industry, but tomorrow, its plans have more to do with space exploration and colonization. The company was born from a desire to reach Mars (and to build a vehicle capable of this), and the dawn of its colossal Starship rocket might symbolize the beginnings of this venture. Founder and CEO Elon Musk has mentioned a fleet of a thousand of these rockets (each of which can carry around 100 people, or about 100 tons, to the red planet while remaining reusable) leaving for Mars at once to establish a self-sustaining city there. Other than the prototypical Starship, no other rocket capable of such a feat exists. In addition to the company’s own plans, NASA awarded SpaceX two contracts for a modified Starship to land humans on the moon. In general, if the rocket’s advertised reusable payload capacity of 150 tons to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and cheap prices become a reality, it will pave the way for more entities – commercial or governmental – to launch bigger payloads, which could be a boon for exploration.

Musk aims to launch Starship to Mars in 2026 as the first step in realizing the company’s colonization mission. Despite failures in recent test flights, version 3 of the rocket is set to launch in 2026, which, according to Musk, is intended to reach the red planet. After which, if the rocket launch is successful, the billionaire will send humans as the next step in Space X’s mission to establish infrastructure on Mars. 

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Space Tech

Astroscale

Astroscale is all about the orbit. It hopes to provide life extension as well as end-of-life solutions for satellites already circling the Earth while also cleaning up space debris. Headquartered in Tokyo but with subsidiaries scattered around the globe, the company has several projects in the works. Its ELSA-d mission, which launched in 2021 to test the end-of-life service, successfully demonstrated the necessary technology. ELSA-M, planned for 2026, will build on this technology with the hopes of eventually yanking defunct satellites out of orbit lest they become space junk. The launch of ADRAS-J, another of the company’s spacecraft, successfully approached large space debris in 2024 at 15 meters, a world first for a commercial company. Additionally, Astroscale’s US subsidiary hopes to launch its LEXI mission by 2026. This spacecraft will fly to Geostationary Orbit (GEO) – the home of many old and expensive communications or spy satellites – and grab hold of them to extend their life.

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AstroForge

US company AstroForge has one goal, and one goal only: mining asteroids. The company is well aware of the dangers and difficulties of their chosen task, having witnessed previous space mining startups falter after offering investors overly optimistic timelines. Space mining, after all, is territory uncharted by earthlings. Therefore, AstroForge is taking the time to ensure its methods work. In 2023, AstroForge launched its first mission, launching Brokkr-1, completing initial mission objectives but falling short of refinery demonstration. Fast forward to 2025, Astroforge launched its Odin satellite into space to capture asteroid images – a crucial step in making asteroid mining a reality. In March 2025, the company announced mission 3 – Vestri, which seeks to dock on an asteroid and analyze its properties for future extraction.

Though it may be a while before large-scale space mining comes to fruition, it would be vital for life beyond Earth, not to mention the astronomical profits coming to those involved. Plus, according to AstroForge CEO Matt Gialich, off-world mining helps decrease reliance on its Earthly counterpart, which is not exactly good for the climate (as reported by Meridian).

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Orbit Fab

Zooming around in space collecting debris and mining asteroids is all good and well, but what if you run out of juice? This is a problem that Orbit Fab, a US startup, looks to address. Advertising their services as ‘gas stations in space’, the company already completed a successful water transfer test aboard the ISS – the first of its kind – and launched the ‘first orbital fuel depot’ in 2021 (though this was still a test vehicle rather than a commercially available station). To ensure customers will be able to use its services, Orbit Fab developed RAFTI, an open-license fueling port that the company hopes will become the industry standard. By 2025, Orbit Fab aims to introduce the first orbital fuel delivery service for hydrazine, a chemical many satellites run on. While fuel prices on Earth are already steep, they are nothing compared to orbital rates: the company will charge ‘$20 million for up to 100-kilogram delivery’ of hydrazine. Orbit Fab also has contracts and agreements with a host of actors, including Astroscale and the US Space Force. 

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Space Research 

SpacePharma 

‘Bring your research idea and we make it happen’.

The slogan adorns the website of Israeli startup SpacePharma, which provides platforms for researchers hoping to try out their experiments in space. The company offers several different ‘labs’: smallish boxes containing mechanisms honed for cosmic experimentation. These can be used for a wide variety of disciplines, which the company lists on its site. Biology, for example, benefits from stem cell, aging, cancer, and microbial testing in space, as well as pharmaceutical research and production and fluid physics. While not all of its labs are designed for the ISS, many have flown aboard the station since 2017. The company has contributed to experiments including studying effects of microgravity on motor neuron cells, crystallization of an Asthma drug, and even how cow cells form muscles, or ‘steaks’, in microgravity for cellular agriculture company Aleph Farms.

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Space Forge

Research in space is already invaluable, but Space Forge hopes to take things one step further by providing a platform for entire product lines to be manufactured in space. The Welsh company bases its concept around the fact that elements such as microgravity and a vacuum greatly improve the quality of pharmaceuticals, certain alloys, and semiconductors. The latter, so the company, would experience a tenfold increase in quality if produced in space. Space Forge’s mini-factory – the ForgeStar satellite – is designed to be customizable according to client needs, and its time in orbit ranges from ten days to six months. Upon completion, the satellite reenters the atmosphere, its contents are collected, and it is then reused for another mission. Space Forge is not the only ones eyeing manufacturing, however; SpacePharma and Axiom, for example, offer preliminary production mechanisms, too. 

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Origin Space

One could describe Origin Space as a simple space mining company, but its work is much more varied. In 2021, the Nanjing-based company launched NEO-1, a small satellite tasked with ‘small celestial body observation and prototype technology verification for space resource acquisition’. If that were not enough, the satellite would also test space debris cleanup methods. In addition to the busy NEO-1, the company has several other satellites in orbit, including two telescopes. The latest addition is YangWang 1 (‘Look Up 1’), which the company claims is the world’s first commercial ultraviolet/optical telescope. It recently completed an optical survey of the night sky, also keeping an eye out for pesky asteroids and meteors. The company ultimately hopes to build a constellation of telescopes to look out for juicy asteroids ripe for mining. Next, Origin Space is planning to send its M2 rover to the moon, which would carry imaging, mining, and sample return equipment. 

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Space Satellite 

SES 

Commercial communications and telecommunications satellites have been around for decades, and remain one of the prime commercial exploitations of orbit. A giant among giants of this industry is SES, headquartered in Luxembourg; this company has 70-odd satellites in two different orbits and claims to broadcast to around a billion people worldwide. It also provides network services to 58 government organizations. SES markets this connectivity to a variety of industries, including energy (providing connections to remote mining sites or offshore oil rigs), cruise ships, aviation, and military ventures. 

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Maxar

If you watch the news, use Google Maps, or listen to the radio, you might have used Maxar’s products, as the company claims on its site. With over 80 satellites in orbit, Maxar provides some television and radio services but really shines at Earth imaging. The company is a darling of the US government, providing 90% of commercial imagery for geospatial intelligence (GEOINT), and recently upgraded its image definition from 30cm to 15 (for context, while the details of US spy satellites remain nebulous, they are thought to have a definition of around 10cm). Such high definition is important as it allows for more insight into risky areas without the need for drones; while the latter comes with the benefit of continuous observation, Maxar’s less eagle-eyed satellites can send back imagery of a given area 15 times a day. Maxar’s other services include the monitoring of factories and mining sites as well as methane emissions.

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Starlink

Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service, has taken LEO by storm. As of July 2023, going on 4,900 of its satellites have been launched (with 4,487 still functioning): over half the current amount of working satellites, with thousands more in the works. The reason behind the mind-boggling numbers is simple: in order to achieve fast internet speeds, the satellites must be closer to Earth. As a result, a single satellite can only cover a small fraction of the Earth’s surface and stay over this area for a short amount of time. Starlink’s aim is therefore to build up a web of them to cover every angle of the globe. All those launch and manufacturing costs add up, and the company is just beginning to make money. Still, it has proven itself a valuable partner in defensive matters, providing drone support in the Ukraine war and frequently working with the US Air Force. Not everyone is happy with the concept, though. Astronomers, for one, are not amused by how the satellites can interfere with optical and radio astronomy. Plus, while the machines are maneuverable and are designed to deorbit themselves at the end of their lives, such a huge buildup of objects in orbit might exacerbate the growing problem of space debris.

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Rocket Launch Companies 

SpaceX

SpaceX may harbor grand Martian dreams, but for now, the company’s daily bread is sending up one of its Falcon 9 (or sometimes Heavy) rockets at least once a week, on average. Payloads range from commercial payloads (including Starlink) to US national security satellites to science missions to humans. SpaceX is able to offer these launches at staggeringly low prices thanks to their reuse of the booster and fairing halves, which account for roughly 70% of manufacturing costs. The company charges around $67 million a launch, with the true cost much lower. The feat upended the industry, with other companies now fighting to catch up and integrate some aspect of reusability into their designs. With the potential for reusable rockets obvious, SpaceX is now developing the Starship, which it hopes will sink prices even more (if it is successful). 

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See also: Top 6 SpaceX’s Goals

Rocket Lab

Founded in New Zealand by Peter Beck, Rocket Lab has become one of the world’s most successful rocket launch companies, seconding SpaceX regarding the number of rockets launched annually. Since the first orbital launch of its rocket ‘electron’ in 2018, Rocket Lab has facilitated over 1700 international missions across 63 launches and 224 satellites deployed. Rocket has partnered with NASA, the United States Space Force, and others for orbital deployment as one of the leading launch service providers. In the years to come, Rocket Lab is expected to remain a leader in commercial rocket deployment, particularly with the first launch of its Neutron rocket for cargo transportation at the end of 2025.

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ULA

One of the companies threatened by SpaceX was United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture between longtime government contractors Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Created in 2006, the company operates rockets previously under the control of the two companies, which included the Atlas V (Lockheed), Delta IV, and Delta IV Heavy (Boeing). As SpaceX’s impact was beginning to make itself felt, the company underwent restructuring in 2014 and vowed to slash launch costs. Now, with the veteran rockets facing retirement, that has not yet happened. Its new rocket, Vulcan, is slated to launch in late 2023 after facing delays to its upper stage and Blue Origin-made engines. Though the vehicle is not reusable, it can carry more than Falcon 9 with a projected launch cost of $110 million: not bad compared to the roughly $350 million for a Delta IV Heavy (which lifts about the same as Vulcan).

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Space Pioneer

The need for reusable rockets was also felt in China, where the young company Space Pioneer – with its Tianlong-2 rocket – recently became the first of the country’s privately funded endeavors to successfully reach orbit with a liquid-fueled rocket; Space Pioneer also became the first company in history to achieve this on its first attempt. With the first launch out of the way, the company can now focus on reusability, which it hopes to implement with its Tianlong-3 rocket. The vehicle has a striking similarity to the Falcon 9, with the first stage ‘returning autonomously’ before being reused.  

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Best Space Companies by Countries and Regions

European Companies

Europe is home to some of the biggest communications and telecommunications companies around, including SES, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Intelsat (though this is partially based in the US). It has also produced Airbus and Thales Alenia Space, who have contracted for a wide variety of space projects including the ISS and a slew of satellite systems. When it comes to launching, though, things are a little less peachy. Arianespace, a company created by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the French agency CNES in 1980, has ruled that particular landscape since its conception. Until SpaceX came around, it controlled up to 50% of the global launch market, and its Ariane rocket series had been a reliable workhorse of the industry.

However, CNES’s shares in the company were bought up by now-majority shareholders ArianeGroup (previously Airbus Safran Launchers) in the mid-2010s, who made bold changes to the company’s newest vehicle in order to offer competitive costs. The rocket has faced significant delays and has still not flown, resulting in a launch gap in the European landscape. Still, a few young companies such as Skyrora, Orbex, Rocket Factory Augsburg, and Isar Aerospace, specialize in small rockets tailored to launching satellites and are looking to fill this gap. 

See also: Top 6 Space Companies in Europe

US Space Companies

The US commercial space landscape… where to begin? The country has the most developed commercial space industry in the world, featuring both longtime government contractors like ULA (a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing) as well as newer players like SpaceX. The latter now controls a sizeable chunk of the modern launch market; in 2022, SpaceX alone accounted for about 33% of global launches and 70% of US launches. The country also hosts several up-and-coming launch companies such as Rocket Lab (founded in New Zealand but now registered in the US) and Firefly. Satellites are another vast area of focus impossible to wholly summarize here. A few examples are communications systems like those of Viasat, Echostar, and Starlink, and intelligence providers like Maxar, Planet, and Blacksky.

With such an industry (and infrastructure) in place, US governmental entities can pursue technological and geopolitical dominance in the space domain (at cheaper prices) while still fueling the economy and opening the door to even newer ventures. Some of these might include space tourism by the likes of Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and Axiom; the latter two, as well as newcomer Vast, boast plans for space stations that would host tourists, professional astronauts, and researchers alike. Many companies developing technology primed for space exploration that has little use on Earth – such as Astrobotic, AstroForge, and (partially) Blue Origin – are also based in the US thanks to the industry’s importance and advancements.

See also:

• Astronaut Salary: How Much Do They Get Paid in 2024?
• Virgin Galactic vs Blue Origin – A Detailed Comparison in 2024
• ULA vs SpaceX – A Detailed Comparison in 2024
• SpaceX vs Blue Origin – A Detailed Comparison in 2024

Chinese Space Companies 

With just 23 launches behind, China came hot on the heels of the US’s space dominance in 2022. The country’s launches consisted almost entirely of the Long March rocket series, which is operated by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). More recently, however, the first private launch companies have been claiming their stake in the Chinese launch market after the government opened the door to such ventures in 2014. Space Pioneer is one, as well as LandSpace, LinkSpace, OneSpace, Galactic Energy, and i-Space (not to be confused with the Japanese ispace, which focuses on lunar missions). Clearly paying attention to industry trends, many of these companies’ designs feature elements vital to the most efficient rockets of the day, such as the Falcon 9. Most of the companies mentioned are aiming for some kind of reusability (some even hope to land boosters), while LandSpace recently beat SpaceX with the first-ever orbital methalox rocket. Non-launching startups such as satellite manufacturers Spacety and Origin Space have also made significant strides in recent years. 

Indian Space Companies

India is also a relative newcomer when it comes to commercial space companies, as most of its cosmic activities have been instigated by the government. While the rockets operated by India’s agency ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), are relatively cheap and have often been used for commercial purposes, a reshuffling of the sector in 2020 allowed private players to join the race. With such a young industry, most of India’s space startups are still finding their feet – but that is not to say the field is stagnant. Rocket startup Skyroot successfully launched its first test vehicle – India’s first private spaceflight – in November 2022, aiming to eventually offer regular flights of its Vikram series of cheap, nonreusable micro launchers designed for rapid deployment. Competitor AgniKul’s vehicle is primed for customization, promising different configurations of the rocket depending on the payload and access to a plethora of launch sites. Outside the launch scenes, several satellite startups are also making headway. Hyperspectral satellite imagery provider Pixxel, for example, is living the startup dream, receiving investment from Google and garnering a contract from the US’s NRO (National Reconnaissance Office).

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Impact of Space Companies on Society and Industry

Privatization of areas previously handled almost exclusively by governments is nothing new, and its effects can be seen in the US’s various applications of the scheme. On one hand, it allows the government to spend less on its own programs, which (space-wise) are often politically sluggish and technologically low-risk as they cannot afford to fail. As seen with various military examples of outsourcing, the technique results in less government accountability, one way or another.

While this conundrum is prevalent in the space field, it also means that some of the best space companies can pursue riskier projects without facing the full brunt of political backlash. The service can then be bought by the government, which often pays far less than the cost of state-run development (a good example of this is SpaceX’s Falcon 9: a risky design that would have been near impossible for officials to sanction initially but is now the US government’s go-to). Conversely, as seen with programs such as NASA’s Artemis, outsourcing work to contractors creates jobs and economic growth even if the program itself moves relatively slowly. This highlights the fact that impressive industry numbers do not necessarily point to cosmic prowess. Still, other interests in space – geopolitical, scientific, and commercial – demand much innovation and enable new, even riskier ideas to join the party.

Future Space Industry Landscape

With the US’s surging commercialization of space transforming the landscape, other countries and regions are following suit. As a result, it is unlikely for the pattern to stop anytime soon. It is also hard to see how SpaceX’s hold on the industry could lessen – especially if its moonshot rocket Starship delivers on its promises – although it might face some competition from the likes of Rocket Lab (other startups like those from India and Europe might eventually join the club, but these are still in their relative infancy). Russia, a waning space heavyweight, sports a few space companies but ultimately missed the boat on large-scale commercialization and has now been sanctioned and isolated by much of the Western world. This means that many former customers of its cheap, reliable Soyuz rockets flock elsewhere (mostly the US), further lessening its role in the industry. China and its meteoric rise in both spaceflight and its commercialization is also likely to continue, even though the US’s extensive bans and restrictions on collaborations somewhat hold back goals of becoming an international space tech provider in the West. 

The competition between the US and China is part of the reason for the so-called modern space race, with one constantly set on one-upping the other in orbit and beyond. This is leading to increased militarization of space, which – predominantly in the US – commercial companies are helping to bring about. The prospect is harrowing, especially considering previous implications of outsourcing in international conflicts. However, it is clear to see how these ambitions reflect on the industry, with a variety of launch and satellite providers tailoring their services towards government and military use. 

In addition to orbit, though, both superpowers are gunning for their next prize: the moon. When (or if) this comes about, it could shape the future industry in the same way orbit’s geopolitical importance is molding the sector of today. Commercial sources of technologies such as mining, in-situ resource utilization, and deep space transportation are already being tapped by the US government, and a continuation of this pattern is likely if the space race evolves in this way. In turn, increased industry focus on (for example) lunar technology can incentivize other businesses to develop even more advanced technology and boost commercial opportunities. 

Picturing what exactly this will look like is further complicated by international space laws, which are currently vague and outdated. They hold so little sway that the US created its own set of (albeit nonbinding) rules known as the Artemis Accords, which have now been signed by 28 countries. These make elegant use of the gaps in the aged UN treaties, laying the groundwork for space mining and claims of sovereignty that stretch existing laws. In addition, collecting signatories to the Accords in exchange for participation in NASA’s Artemis program helps the US establish a bloc-like alliance that nations will be reluctant to leave, helping it establish new norms for space exploration and countering rival powers. Once large-scale exploration, colonization, and mining kick-off, such blatant legal discrepancies could lead to further conflicts not just between nations, but between companies, too. 

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Featured image: Credit: ispace