Commercial aerospace drives development of other industries

Editor's note: Jin Jun is an associate professor at the School of Management of Zhejiang University. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN. It has been translated from Chinese and edited for brevity and clarity.

After nearly a decade of development, China has gradually stepped into a stage of rapid development in infrastructure and business applications of commercial aerospace, giving rise to companies such as LANDSPACE, Galactic Energy, iSPACE, CAS Space, Space Pioneer, and Orienspace. The innovative role of commercial aerospace in driving and spearheading the progress of other industries is becoming increasingly pronounced.

As an intricate innovation system, aerospace technology innovation is an engineering combination of sophisticated systems where innovative technological achievements in various technological fields, such as energy technology, materials technology, and information communication technology, are comprehensively applied and interact with each other. Conversely, the development of commercial aerospace technology and markets also affects the innovation and development of energy, materials, information communication, and other technologies and industries.

From the three dimensions of the commercial aerospace industry infrastructure, business application and operation of commercial aerospace infrastructure, and the spillover of commercial aerospace technology, the development of commercial aerospace has driven technological advancement in other industries (both emerging and traditional) through three types of effects, namely, design-driven innovation, business paradigm shift, and technology-driven change.  

The design-driven innovation role of commercial aerospace refers to that to realize new design concepts for commercial aerospace, companies develop cutting-edge commercial aerospace technologies and improve processes while driving suppliers of materials, key components, production equipment, control systems, among others, to jointly engage in technological innovation. For instance, to successfully develop a liquid oxygen-methane rocket engine, material suppliers of liquid oxygen-methane tanks must collaborate with commercial aerospace companies on materials and process development, thus prompting the transformation of tank production enterprises. Furthermore, the demand for commercial aerospace applications has spurred the growth of additive manufacturing enterprises specializing in metal 3D printing.

The business paradigm shift effect of commercial aerospace means that the operation and maintenance of aerospace infrastructure, as well as products and services directly operated and developed based on satellite data and signals, will generate new factors and incubate new business forms and paradigms. For example, as the satellite communication network continues to improve, satellite communication will become more prevalent, and the construction and improvement of the space network for data transmission will eliminate blind spots in communication, industrial Internet, and field monitoring. Remote sensing technology applications, satellite communication, satellite-based environmental monitoring, and the like provide new factors, solutions, and management models for such fields as energy system management and navigation, making smart city governance and wilderness energy management more convenient.  

The technology-driven change effect of commercial aerospace is a spillover effect of new technologies and processes in commercial aerospace, which drives changes in other industries. For example, the metal additive manufacturing technology that is extensively applied in the commercial aerospace industry may bring about process and organizational changes if it is promoted and applied in the traditional metal manufacturing industry. Similarly, high-temperature resistant materials, new alloy materials, innovative welding technology, and forging technology used in commercial aerospace, if promoted and applied in other industries, will drive transformation in these industries.

In summary, the development of commercial aerospace technology and industry has expanded the commercial scope of various industries beyond terrestrial boundaries, facilitated a more extensive and accurate array of data sources and innovation origins, and made industrial collaboration and regional cooperation easier.