Industry is building its reputation step by step

A Long March 11 carrier rocket is set to be used soon in China's first space launch from a sea platform in the Yellow Sea. I will be there to witness the mission.

To be honest, launching a rocket at sea is not as big a deal as it once was. A number of rockets have blasted off from sea platforms over several decades. So, achieving this goal, in my opinion, is only a small step in China's grand space aspirations.

Yet, having said that, I know well that it was each and every small step taken that has built China's current status in the space arena. The project leaders, researchers and engineers at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology I talked with do not talk big - though they dream big, they strive for incremental progress day by day.

"Do more and talk less". This is one of the shared attributes behind the success of the nation's space programs.

China's space industry, from the first day of its existence, has depended on itself - or to be more specific, has rested on the shoulders of numerous scientists, engineers and technicians, as they could not expect any help from outside. In the hard days of the People's Republic, these people endured hunger, wore shabby clothes and lived in humble houses. But they did not complain or feel sad. They toiled and sweated. They spent almost all of their time and energy on their tasks, leaving little time for their families.

This older generation of space workers was inspired and driven by the conviction that what they were doing was safeguarding their motherland, keeping generations to come free from fear and intimidation, and bringing honor and glory to the land they grew up in.

Today, in addition to those convictions, the new generation of workers in China's space sector is taking on a new mission - to gain a bigger share of the international space market for their rockets and satellites. They are aware that their products' place in the global market is one key to a successful future for China's space industry.

Long March 11's designers said that since the beginning of the program, they have taken aim at the international market, hoping to seize opportunities in the burgeoning sphere of commercial space.

Making a rocket capable of launching at sea will not only enable them to reduce costs and improve safety but also allow them to offer more options to clients and attract new customers.

I am convinced that they will embrace success in this new endeavor and I look forward to the next "small step" being made.