As demand accelerates for satellite connectivity and AI in space, China's push into orbital computing is showing new momentum.
Since the start of 2026, China's commercial space sector has once again emerged as a focal point for both capital markets and industrial players. On one front, major Chinese banks have completed the launch of dedicated or jointly operated satellites, formally integrating satellite applications into financial risk management and digital operations. On another, privately owned aerospace companies are accelerating their push toward initial public offerings, underscoring how commercial spaceflight is moving more rapidly toward both capital-market validation and real-world applications.
Eutelsat, the satellite operator backed by the French and British governments, announced this week that it has placed an additional order for 340 next-generation OneWeb satellites with Airbus Defence and Space. Combined with a previous order of 100 satellites placed in December 2024, the total procurement now stands at 440 low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites, with deliveries expected to begin in late 2026.
After completing a Series A funding round in January 2025, SEPOCH (also known as Jianyuan Technology), a Beijing-based private aerospace company, moved quickly to translate capital into concrete infrastructure. The company has begun construction in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, of a medium- to heavy-lift liquid rocket assembly, testing, and recovery complex with a total planned investment of CNY5.2 billion (approx. US$745 million).
Japan has formally committed to building its own low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, marking a significant shift in how the country approaches communications infrastructure and national security.
As commercial space activity accelerates worldwide, Alex Haro, the chief executive of Hubble, describes the industry as undergoing a structural shift—one that is transforming satellites from experimental hardware into global digital infrastructure.
Japan's flagship heavy-lift rocket, the H3, suffered another setback on Sunday after its eighth flight failed, dealing a blow to the country's ambitions to strengthen its independent space capabilities.
SpaceX is widely expected to pursue an initial public offering in mid to late 2026. In anticipation, investors have increasingly tied the company's long-term growth story to the idea of orbital—or space-based—data centers, making the concept one of the most closely watched themes in capital markets.
South Korea's privately led rocket program, NURI (KSLV-II), completed its fourth successful launch on November 17, reaching an altitude of 601.3 kilometers and entering orbit—a milestone that has sharpened debate in Taiwan over its own ambitions in space.
SpaceX could go public as early as 2026 and emerge as one of the world's most valuable listed companies, with market estimates putting its post-IPO valuation at around US$1.5 trillion, as the company pushes to secure a leading position in space-based artificial intelligence (AI) data centers.
