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Updated March 2006
Missile Facilities
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASTC)
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASTC)
中国航天科技集团公司
General Manager: Zhang Qingwei
(In July 1999, the China Aerospace Corporation (CASC) was divided into two organizations: the China Aerospace Machinery and Electronics Corporation (CAMEC) and the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.)
Founded on July 1, 1999, CASTC is one of the two organizations formerly part of the China Aerospace Corporation (CASC). It was broken off from the former CASC as part of the government's effort to reform China's defense industry by loosening state control over enterprise operation and by trying to inject some degree of competition by breaking up the large defense corporations. According to former General Manager Wang Lihang, the old management system was not responsive to the market economy. CASC was "crippled by a cumbersome structure, scattered resources, overlapping construction, overstaffing and financial inefficiency." In addition, the company was not a genuine business entity, as political and business responsibilities were not clearly divided. The goal of the restructuring was to rectify these problems by defining the duties and responsibilities of both the corporation and workers.
CASTC is comprised of over 140 units (subsidiary research centers, factories, share-holding companies and stock-holding companies); CASTC also employs over 103,000 workers, 41,000 specialists and technicians, and 1,300 researchers. It is involved in the development, production and sales of tactical and strategic missiles, satellites, space launch vehicles, space vehicles, and other aerospace goods. According to an advertisement in the July 1999 issue of Zhongguo Hangtian (China Aerospace), "CASC is capable of developing and launching launch vehicles of low-orbit, earth synchronous rotating orbit and sun synchronous orbit. Its technologies in high-energy fuels, strap-on launch vehicles and multiple satellite launching by one launching vehicle, among others, have reached world standard. It also dominates the expertise for producing communications satellites, meteorological satellites, resources satellites, scientific experimental satellites, and other space vehicles, as it dominates advanced technologies in satellite recovering, orbit control and attitude control. In addition, the new enterprise enjoys very strong technological advantages in satellite application system and computerization application technologies, information technology, automation technology, and system integration."
Given these responsibilities, the new CASTC inherited seven major research institutes from CASC, including:
- China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, CALT (former CASC 1st Academy)
- China Academy of Space Technology, CAST (former CASC 5th Academy)
- Shanghai Academy of Space Flight Technology, SAST (former CASC 8th Academy)
- China Academy of Basic Technologies of Aerospace and Electronics (former CASC 9th Academy)
- Academy of Aerospace Solid Propulsion Technology
- Academy of Aerospace Liquid Propulsion Technology
- China Aerospace Times Electronics Corporation
CASTC also inherited responsibility for two of China Aerospace Corporation's former R&D production bases:
- Sichuan Aerospace Industry Corporation
- Xi'an Aerospace Science and Technology Industry Company.
CASTC is also involved in developing, producing and selling civilian products such as: mechanics, electronics, chemicals, communications, transportation, medical products, and eco-technology.
[Sources: "China Aerospace Science & Technology Corporation Founded," Zhongguo Hangtian (China Aerospace), July 1999;Wen Yangyang, "Interview with the General Manager of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation," Zhongguo Hangtian (China Aerospace), August 1999, p. 5-6; "Young Space Elite Emerges from Manned Space Program: Experts," Space Daily, 27 October, 2003.]
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material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for
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does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently
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by MIIS.
