Key Points
- SpaceX has inspired China’s LandSpace, which has tested its first reusable rocket.
- The test failed, but it signals a shift in China’s risk-averse space industry.
- LandSpace is now planning an IPO to fund its future rocket development.
- Elon Musk acknowledged their design, calling it a potential Falcon 9 “beater.”
China’s rocket startup LandSpace is openly chasing Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The Beijing-based company recently became the first private Chinese firm to test a reusable rocket. Although the test ended in a crash, it put SpaceX on notice and showed that China is serious about creating its own version of the famous Falcon 9.
This new approach is a significant development for China’s space program, which has long been dominated by state-owned companies that have historically avoided risk. LandSpace’s chief designer, Dai Zheng, even left a top government job because SpaceX’s focus on reusability inspired him. He said they are “learning, not imitating” and sees being called a “Chinese Falcon 9” as a high compliment.
This push for a low-cost, reusable rocket is crucial for Beijing’s plans to launch massive satellite constellations in the coming years.
To secure the capital needed for such ambitious projects, LandSpace is preparing to go public via an IPO. This move follows a broader push by the Chinese government to allow its leading private space companies to access capital markets, much like their American rivals.
The effort has not gone unnoticed. Elon Musk himself commented on the design of LandSpace’s Zhuque-3 rocket, noting that it combines features from both the Falcon 9 and the newer Starship. He even suggested that this hybrid design could eventually beat the Falcon 9, though he added that Starship is in “another league.”
Both companies are using similar materials, such as stainless steel and Methalox engines, to reduce launch costs.
While the rocket crashed during its landing attempt, LandSpace can take some comfort from history. SpaceX also had several failed landings before finally succeeding in 2015. This new willingness to fail publicly signals a major cultural shift as China races to become a dominant force in the commercial space age.
