China's Space Program Thread II

[escobar]

This 5-meter-diameter reusable launch vehicle is being developed by China Rocket Co. using liquid oxygen/kerosene or liquid oxygen/methane engines, with the first flight planned for the end of 2027.View attachment 152155View attachment 152160

On July 3, 2025, the Long March 10B, a 5m reusable commercial launch vehicle was approved for development. This vehicle leverages and upgrades the market-oriented development model of the Jielong 3 and Long March 8 rockets, boasting high efficiency, high efficiency, and low cost. With a recovered first stage, it has a payload capacity of no less than 16 tons to low Earth orbit (200km LEO) and no less than 11 tons at a 900km, 50° orbital inclination.

 

[Tomboy]

On July 3, 2025, the Long March 10B, a 5m reusable commercial launch vehicle, was approved for development. This vehicle leverages and upgrades the market-oriented development model of the Jielong 3 and Long March 8 rockets, boasting high efficiency, high efficiency, and low cost. With a recovered first stage, it has a payload capacity of no less than 16 tons to low Earth orbit (200km LEO) and no less than 11 tons at a 900km, 50° orbital inclination.

Isn't the current LM-10A already reusable?

 

[escobar]

Isn't the current LM-10A already reusable?

CALT : Reusable LM-10A
Chinarocket (Commercial spinoff from CALT) : Reusable LM-10B

 

[taxiya]

Isn't the current LM-10A already reusable?

B is improving A. A is based on human rating meaning higher safety margin. B seems to be dedicated for commercial (non crew). A has no less than 14t to LEO, B is 16t.

 

[by78]

According to this

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, Nayuta is working on a different reusable launch vehicle called Chaser-R. It is to use pneumatic recovery + chopstick landing. Not sure how the system works, but it has apparently passed expert review.

Nayuta is carrying out detailed design of its reusable Chaser-R launch vehicle, which is expected to enter prototyping stage next year. The vehicle uses aerodynamic deceleration and horizontal landing for recovery.

 

[ZachL111]

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This is purely a floated concept right now in the literature space, not anything concrete as far as I know. It would center around an orbiter, lander, and drilling robot, which could penetrate up to 5km of ice to reach the ice/ocean boundary on the moon.

This mission would have to be near-autonomous and would not be able to rely on solar power due to the weakness of the Sun around Saturn, so my estimate is that even if this is pursued, it would launch NET 2030s.

 

[GulfLander]

Nayuta is carrying out detailed design of its reusable Chaser-R launch vehicle, which is expected to enter prototyping stage next year. The vehicle uses aerodynamic deceleration and horizontal landing for recovery.

They planning Horizontal landing on the moon?

 

[by78]

They planning Horizontal landing on the moon?

I wouldn't take artist's impressions too seriously.

 

[by78]

Here's another space startup I've never heard of until now. Beijing EverSpace (北京星恒航力科技有限公司) is developing a 300-ton-class full-flow staged combustion cycle engine called KP-1. Earlier this month, it successfully conducted

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of the engine's torch igniter.

After some digging around, it appears EverSpace is affiliated with Tsinghua University's X Lab. The company is hoping to develope a lineup of LOX/Methane engines.

 

[ZachL111]

Here's another space startup I've never heard of until now. Beijing EverSpace (北京星恒航力科技有限公司) is developing a 300-ton-class full-flow staged combustion cycle engine called KP-1. Earlier this month, it successfully conducted

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of the engine's torch igniter.

After some digging around, it appears EverSpace is affiliated with Tsinghua University's X Lab. The company is hoping to develope a lineup of LOX/Methane engines.

Oh yeah, this is a company that has been on my radar since last year, I can provide more information below.

They were founded March of last year, they focus primarily on FFSC (aka full-flow staged-combustion) liquid oxygen methane rocket engines. As far as I know they are only focused on commercial markets, not government or public actors. On top of this KP-1 test they ran, they are planning 50, 200 and 500-ton class methalox engines.

Their founder has some credit to his name, he was involved with the development of the commercial sector's first electric-pump rocket engine, the first closed-cycle staged-combustion engine, and the largest gas-generator-cycle engine. His company and team won an Excellence Award at the President's Cup at Tsinghua, and they've competed in other venues aside from this.

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is a WeChat post confirming their test, the video, and some more images.