The Chinese reusable rocket race is heating up, with two start-ups and a state-owned developer all aiming for orbital launches by year’s end. If successful, they could help to ease a growing mismatch between China’s limited rocket supply and surging demand.On Monday, Beijing-based Space Pioneer completed a full-scale test of the first stage of its 72 metre (236 feet) partially reusable Tianlong-3 rocket from an offshore platform in the eastern province of Shandong.
The 35-second burn involved nine Tianhuo-12 engines firing together to produce nearly 1,000 tonnes of thrust in “the most complex and challenging ground trial in rocket development”, according to the company.
Now that Tianlong-3 had passed its “major exam”, it was entering the final sprint towards launch, Space Pioneer said on social media.
“We aim to fly by the end of this year. After that, we plan to quickly move into routine commercial operations, with a target of more than 30 missions annually.”
It was the second such test in recent months by a Chinese private company, following LandSpace’s trial of its Zhuque-3 in June.