Chinese companies challenge SpaceX

At least seven Chinese companies are trying to close the gap with SpaceX to achieve similar success with reusable rockets.

Chinese aerospace startups are racing to launch reusable rockets next year as they aim to build a megaconstellation of low-Earth orbit (LEO) internet satellites to compete with SpaceX's Starlink system. At least seven new private rockets, all reusable and capable of vertical landing, are aiming to reach orbit in 2025 and are vying for contracts to deploy tens of thousands of broadband satellites in the coming years.

The Tianlong-3 reusable rocket has a similar design to SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. (Photo: Weibo)

Leading the race is the Tianlong-3, a 71-meter-tall two-stage liquid oxygen and kerosene rocket built by Space Pioneer in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province, east China. The Tianlong-3 is the second-most powerful rocket developed in China, after the Long March 5B. With a payload capacity of 17 tons to LEO, the vehicle is designed to deploy satellites and can carry up to 30 satellites per launch. The rocket had an unscheduled launch and crash-landed during a static fire test in June.

Tianlong-3 incorporates a range of cutting-edge technologies. These technologies, including 3D-printed stainless steel engines and liquid nitrogen gas pressurization, will meet the low-cost, reliable, and high-frequency requirements of satellite Internet launches. The first stage of Tianlong-3 is powered by nine Tianhuo-12 engines and can be used 10 times.

Close behind Tianlong-3 is Zhuque-3 , a medium-sized reusable rocket built by LandSpace in Huzhou, Zhejiang Province. Zhuque-3 is the only one of seven rockets that will attempt to reach orbit and recover its first stage on its maiden flight next year. It is scheduled to launch in the second half of 2025 and aims to become the first reusable rocket to enter service in China, according to Zhang Changwu, founder and CEO of LandSpace.

Standing 76.6 meters tall, the Zhuque-3 is made of stainless steel and uses liquid methane fuel . In September, the vehicle completed a vertical landing test after flying 10 kilometers. The rocket can carry about 21 tons of cargo to LEO in expanded mode and 18.3 tons when recovering the first stage. Equipped with nine Tianque-12B engines, the Zhuque-3's first stage is designed to be recovered and reused for 20 launches. LandSpace produces more than 60% of the Tianque-12B engine parts. They also set up a closed-loop process for 3D printing the engine's parts, from design to assembly.

The 69-meter- tall Hyperbola-3 rocket developed by Beijing-based iSpace and the 53-meter-tall Kinetic-2 made by Guangzhou-based CAS Space are also scheduled to make their first flights next year. Both will offer a payload capacity of 12 to 13 tons to LEO in extended mode, with the Hyperbola-3 capable of delivering 8.5 tons in reusable mode. Other rockets joining the race are Galactic Energy's Pallas-1 and Deep Blue Aerospace's Nebula-1. Both reusable rockets are scheduled to fly in the first half of 2025. Meanwhile, the Gravity-2, a medium-heavy reusable rocket under development by Orienspace, is scheduled to launch in late 2025.

Chinese rocket companies are working to close the gap with SpaceX and hope to reap the rewards with reusable rockets. SpaceX's main transport vehicle, the Falcon 9, can carry 17-18 tons of cargo to LEO in reusable mode and plays a key role in building the Starlink megaconstellation. In 2024, the Falcon 9 will achieve an impressive launch rate of once every three days, deploying more than 20 Starlink satellites per mission. Starlink currently consists of nearly 7,000 satellites, providing Internet service to millions of users around the world, including many remote areas.