Chinese satellite company Beijing Starcraft Glory, also known as iSpace, has become the first private Chinese company to launch commercial satellites.



The rocket, called SQX-1 Y1, was launched on Wednesday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China, successfully sending two satellites into a 300km circular orbit.



According to an iSpace post on WeChat, the rocket launch achieved the milestone of being China's first private commercial space multi-satellite launch.

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SQX-1 Y1 is also China's largest carrier to enter into space flight, the company said. Following SQX-1 Y1's successful launch, iSpace announced that it expects to have a large scale commercial launch by the end of 2020.



iSpace currently has over 120 staff to run its operations.



China's private space sector is playing catch up compared to other countries. The US company SpaceX sent the world's first private rocket to the International Space Station back in 2012.

SpaceX is currently sending satellites to space, through its Starlink program, with the goal of creating a home broadband constellation. The satellite company launched 60 Starlink satellites into space in May, which were the first of nearly 12,000 satellites that the company intends to put into orbit around Earth.

China last year outlined plans to build a space station, called China's Space Station (CSS), which is a joint initiative between the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and China's Manned Space Agency.

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