Russia is conducting a census of private satellites and who owns them!

Does China have private satellites?

On July 4, Russian media published an article.

There are many private satellites in the sky above the Earth, from universities to billionaires.

The Russian Federation Council recently approved a law requiring Russian citizens and companies to provide data about their spacecraft to the Russian space agency.

This innovative regulation will affect satellites already in orbit and those just planned for launch.

Before this, Russia had no legislative regulation of private space assets, creating a legal vacuum.

How many private satellites are there in space? Who owns them, and why do they need them?

According to data from the Russian space agency, as of the end of 2024, 129 private spacecraft were registered in the Russian Federation's national registry.

Most of them are owned by commercial companies rather than individuals.

By 2030, the number of private satellites in Russia may increase to 1,000. However, it is still unclear how many of them belong to natural persons.

Although satellites are expensive, some enthusiasts and billionaires launch them for personal purposes:

In 2018, Musk sent his Tesla Roadster into space using the Falcon Heavy rocket.

In 2014, American amateur radio enthusiast Bob Twiggs launched the PSAT satellite to test radio communication.

Launching satellites used to be a privilege of governments.

Now, even small companies and universities can send spacecraft into orbit with low-cost technology.

China also has private satellites.

The first private satellite was "Fengmaniu No. 1," launched in February 2018. It was also the world's first panoramic satellite, invested in by Chinese entrepreneur Feng Lun. Figure 2

As of June 2025, the number of private satellites in operation in China is approximately 350, mainly commercial constellations.

So far, private satellites are few, but their numbers will continue to grow.

Soon, even ordinary people can launch their own spacecraft.

You, the reader, may one day make a fortune, so would you consider getting a satellite to play with?

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1836663894182912/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.