11.   Rather, the value is in putting existing public assets to work building a new arm of American industry capable of competing with the Europeans for commercial launch business.

12.   That move would put commercial companies in direct competition with foreign-based firms that already provide commercial launch services.

13.   The bid to gain greater international confidence in its satellite-launching program comes less than a month after the recent first commercial launch of a Russian Proton rocket.

14.   The Clinton administration is now studying whether different rocket programs could be combined and slimmed down into a single family capable of both government and commercial launches.

15.   The Chinese had been sending up commercial launches for considerably below what other launchers charge, something both the U.S. and the Europeans have protested.

16.   The retiring Republican chairman of the House Committee on Science wants U.S. businesses to compete in the commercial launch industry.

17.   China has aggressively marketed its commercial launch services, reportedly offering deep discounts to attract customers away from Western countries.

18.   China launched a U.S.-made telecommunications satellite Thursday, its second successful commercial launch since a January attempt ended in a fiery blast.

19.   China said Wednesday that the explosion last month of a Chinese rocket and the American satellite it was carrying will not affect plans for other commercial launches this year.

20.   China, which in recent years has had two or three commercial launches annually, clearly wants a bigger piece of the pie.