Headquartered in Beijing, China Aerospace Science & Technology Corporation (CASC) comprises eight aerospace R&D complexes and an international trading company, with over 100,000 employees. The corporation is engaged in the development, production, and support of aerospace systems including the space launch vehicle (SLV), satellites, manned spacecraft, strategic and tactical missile systems. The corporation also provides commercial satellite launch services for foreign customers. Its non-defence related products and services cover satellite applications, information technology and telecommunications, new material technologies, new resources technologies, and cars and specialised mortar vehicles.
CASC can trace its origin back to the Ministry of National Defence 5th Research Academy established on 8 October 1956, PRC’s first missile and rocket technology R&D institute headed by the “Father of Chinese Rocketry” Dr. Qian Xuesen. In 1964, the academy was expanded into the 7th Ministry of Machinery Industry of the PRC, which was later renamed Ministry of Aeronautics Industry in 1982. In 1988, the ministry was merged with the Ministry of Aeronautics Industry to form the new Ministry of Aerospace Industry. In March 1993, the Ministry of Aerospace Industry ceased as a government body and became a state-owned corporation known as China Aerospace Corporation (CASC). The corporation was concurrently the China National Space Administration (CNSA) to maintain certain government powers and functions within the organisation.
In July 1999, as part of the PRC government’s effort to reform the defence industry by loosing state’s control over the enterprise operation and injecting some degree of competitions into the defence industry, the CAIC was broken up into two separate corporations: China Aerospace Science & Technology Corporation (CASC) and China Aerospace Machinery & Electronics Corporation (CAMEC). The original subsidiaries of the CAIC was divided between the two corporations.
Currently the core subsidiaries of the CASC include:
China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) - former 1st Space Academy
- Space launch vehicle and long-range ballistic missile R&D
China Academy of Rocket Motor Technology (ARMT) - former 4th Space Academy
- Solid-propellant rocket motor research, development, and manufacture
China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) - former 5th Space Academy
- Satellite and manned spacecraft design, development, and production
China Aerospace Propellant Technology
Academy (CAPA) - former 6th Space Academy, Base 067
- Liquid-propellant rocket engines for missiles and space launch vehicles
Shanghai Academy of Space Flight Technology (SAST) - former 8th Space Academy, Shanghai Bureau of Aeronautics
- CZ-4 launch vehicle and FY weather satellites
Sichuan Aerospace Industry Corporation (SCAIC) - former Base 062
- Spacecraft and missile components, WS series multiple rocket launcher
China Aerospace Times Electronics Corporation (CATEC)
- Inertial guidance, remote sensing, telemetry, satellite navigation
China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics (CAAA) - former Beijing Institute of Aerodynamics (BIA), 701 Institute
- Aerodynamics research and experiment for launch vehicle, spacecraft, and ballistic missile
China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC)
- International commercial satellite launch provider
China Aerospace Engineering Consultation Centre
- Strategic research and consultation
Additionally, CASC also has five public holding companies and six public-listed companies (four in the Shanghai stock exchange and two in the Hong Kong stock exchange).
