In the journey of human exploration of the sea of stars, every technological leap is accompanied by countless attempts and setbacks. At the end of June 2024, a video captured by netizens went viral on the Internet, filming a rocket falling and catching fire after emitting black smoke during the flight. Subsequently, the relevant enterprises responded that during the test run of the power system, a sub-stage rocket ignited normally, due to the failure of the structure of the connection between the rocket body and the test bench, a sub-stage rocket detached from the launch pad, after liftoff, the computer on the rocket was actively shut down, and the rocket fell into the deep mountains 1.5 kilometers southwest of the test bench, and the rocket body fell into the mountains and disintegrated.
Setbacks are a stepping stone to success
Space rocket test failures are common, and even SpaceX, the most valuable company in the field, has failed countless times. After several major setbacks, SpaceX has proved in practice that space exploration is difficult and difficult. Every failure is an exploration of technological boundaries and a test of team resilience and innovative spirit, and the same is true for China's private aerospace companies.
In the past decade, China's private aerospace enterprises have sprung up like mushrooms after a rain, and enterprises such as Tianbing Technology, Blue Arrow Aerospace, and Galaxy Power are exploring and moving forward in this vast world that has yet to be developed with their own characteristics and advantages. These companies are committed to the research and development of advanced and reliable launch vehicles, satellite technologies and space services, aiming to reduce the cost of space activities, promote the popularization of commercial space applications, and accelerate the diversified development of China's space industry.
SpaceX is currently the world's most valuable private space company, with a valuation of about 1.28 trillion yuan, and has achieved an effective reduction in costs and a significant increase in the frequency of space launches. China's private aerospace companies, although there is still a big gap with SpaceX in terms of overall scale and valuation, have made breakthroughs in their respective segments.
China's private aerospace unicorn enterprise
With a valuation of about 9.2 billion, Galaxy Power is committed to providing solutions for low-cost and high-frequency access to space for human beings, as well as providing surging power for space-to-earth round-trip, space transportation, and space resource development, so that space resources can be more easily integrated into our lives. The core products and services include the launch services of the "Ceres" series of small solid launch vehicles, the "Zhishenxing" series of medium-sized liquid launch vehicles, and the "Lightyear" series of solid rocket engines.
Blue Arrow Aerospace is valued at about 11 billion yuan, and the company is committed to building a whole industrial chain of "R&D, manufacturing, testing and launching" centered on medium and large liquid oxygen methane launch vehicles, building a scientific and technological complex in the aerospace field, and providing cost-effective and high-reliability space transportation services for the global market. Last year, the world's first liquid oxygen methane launch vehicle, Suzaku 2, and Yao-2 were successfully put into orbit.
With a valuation of about 15.5 billion, Tianbing Technology is the leading high-tech enterprise in the field of commercial aerospace in mainland China to develop a new generation of liquid rocket engines and medium and large liquid launch vehicles. Determined to make faster, farther and more economical rail transportation, intercontinental transportation and interstellar transportation services into the public life. Not long ago, the test run of the first sub-stage power system of the Tianbing Science and Technology Tianlong-3 large liquid launch vehicle crashed, which attracted attention and discussion from the outside world. According to reports, the performance of Tianlong-3 products is comparable to SpaceX's Falcon 9.
Media Comments: For any aerospace company, safety is always the primary consideration. This not only reminds industry peers of the need for excellence in every detail of the design and manufacturing process, but also highlights the importance of testing infrastructure and the high demands placed on system stability under extreme operating conditions. Although China's private aerospace companies are facing many challenges, it is these challenges that breed infinite possibilities.