The effect view of Commsat's in-orbit satellite (Photo: Courtesy of Commsat)

Geely Technology Group's satellite manufacturer Taizhou Xingkong Zhilian was issued a commercial satellite license by the National Development and Reform Commission NDRC on Thursday. Some manufacturing equipment has been transported to the factory which is expected to churn out 500 satellites, according to Gelly Technology Group.

The issuance of license means China's first commercial satellite manufacturing factory, combining high-tech aerospace and some vehicle manufacturing technology, will be put into operation.

Xu Zhihao, CEO of Gelly Technology Group, said the satellite factory will combine the industrialized equipment of vehicles industry and modularity of satellite to phase in an advanced assembly line.

Lan Tianyi, founder of Beijing-based Ultimate Blue Nebula Co, a space industry consultancy, told the Global Times that the buyers of commercial satellite are telecommunications operators, information services companies and remote sensing ventures.

"The production license is a key regulatory document for a company to step into satellite manufacturing industry," said Lan.

The factory is located in Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, and will begin manufacturing operations in October 2021.