Space Pioneer (Chinese: 天兵科技), also known as Beijing Tianbing Technology Co., Ltd., is a Chinese aerospace company developing reusable orbital rocket technology—both launch vehicles and liquid rocket engines—to access the market for low-cost space launch services. The company is aiming to meet launch requirements for both the Chinese national satellite internet project and also the CNSA solicitation for resupply of the Tiangong space station.[1]
 | |
| Space Pioneer | |
Native name | 北京天兵科技有限公司 |
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 2019 |
| Founder | Kang Yonglai |
| Headquarters | , China |
| Website | www |
The stated mission of Space Pioneer is to "pursue new breakthroughs in technology and performance, [and] to select a technological path based on the needs of the commercial market to improve launch efficiency and reduce launch costs."[2]
History
editSpace Pioneer was founded in 2019[3] by Kang Yonglai.[2] Kang was the former CTO of LandSpace until 2019, when he left to establish Space Pioneer.[4]
The company completed two funding rounds in 2019, including a ZJU Joint Innovation investment,[3] to continue liquid bipropellant engine development of the Tianhuo series of rocket engines.
In April 2020, the company raised US$14 million in order to complete development of its 30 tf (66,000 lbf) liquid rocket engine Tianhuo-3, which had begun igniter hot fire tests in 2019.[3] This was followed in September with a "multiple hundreds of millions of yuan" (CN¥millions) Series A capital raise.[2]
The company secured US$30 million venture capital funding in a pre-B funding round in July 2021. The funds were used to complete initial development of the Tianlong-1 reusable launch vehicle, a kerolox-propellant vehicle with a payload capacity to orbit exceeding 3 tonnes (6,600 lb), during 2021–22.[1]
In July 2023, Space Pioneer announced that it had raised hundreds of millions of yuan in C-round funding, bringing the total amount raised to around US$414 million. The funds will be used for the development of the Tianlong-3 reusable launch vehicle.[5]
Technology
editSpace Pioneer is developing reusable spaceflight technology rather than the traditional expendable rocket technology. Both launch vehicles and liquid rocket engines are being designed for reuse.
Tianlong-1
editTianlong-1 is a kerosene-liquid oxygen (kerolox) fueled vehicle using the Tianhuo-3 engine, with a payload capacity to low Earth orbit exceeding 3 tonnes (6,600 lb).[1]
Tianlong-2
editTianlong-2, another launch vehicle designed by the company, entered service in early 2023.[6] It is 32.8m tall, and it can lift up to 2t to LEO and 1.5t to 500km SSO.[7] The maiden flight of Tianlong-2 took place on 2 April 2023, successfully carrying the Jinta cubesat from Hunan Hangsheng Satellite Technology to a Sun-synchronous orbit. This mission represented the first successful launch of a Chinese privately funded, liquid-fueled, kerolox rocket with Space Pioneer becoming the first startup company to reach orbit on its maiden attempt.[8]
Tianlong-3
editTianlong-3 is a two-stage kerolox launch vehicle with a reusable first stage that is currently under development. It is designed to lift about 17t to LEO and 14t to 500km SSO, comparable to SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch vehicle. As of November 2023, the first launch is scheduled for June 2024, with two more launches planned before the end of 2024.[9]
On June 30th, 2024, a Tianlong-3 first stage rocket detached from its stand during a static fire test due to a structural failure, resulting in an unintentional launch.[10][11][12] The rocket landed and exploded in the mountains 1.5 kilometres (0.9 mi) southwest of the test site in Gongyi, China, and no casualties were reported.[13]
Engines
editSpace Pioneer's engine series are designated as Tianhuo (Sky Fire). Early concepts include Tianhuo-1 (TH-1), the initial Space Pioneer rocket engine, with hot-fire ground testing completed before 2020.[2] Tianhuo-2 (TH-2) was developed subsequent to Tianhuo-1, with the first hot fire test of the engine in early 2020.[3][2] Tianhuo-3 (TH-3) is a kerolox liquid-bipropellant rocket engine with 30 tonnes-force (66,000 lbf) of thrust. It is intended to be the main engine for the Tianlong-1 launch vehicle.[3] The engine had its first hot-fire test in December 2020, with a 50-second duration ground test run.[14]
Space Pioneer later re-designated TH-3 as TH-11, which successfully powered the second stage of the Tianlong-2 rocket. A larger, 100 tonnes-force (220,000 lbf) class TH-12 engine is in development for its upcoming Tianlong-3 launch vehicle.
Launches
edit| Rocket & Serial | Date | Payload | Orbit | Launch Site | Outcome | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tianlong-2 | 2 April 2023, 08:48 UTC[15] |
Ai Taikong Kexue
(“love space science”) |
SSO | Jiuquan | Success | First Chinese private launch firm to achieve orbit with a liquid propellant rocket, the first company in the world to reach orbit on its first attempt using a fully liquid fueled rocket. |
| Tianlong-3 (first stage) | 30 June 2024 | None | Suborbital | Gongyi | Unintended | Failure of hold-down clamps during planned static fire test resulting in suborbital flight and loss of vehicle. |
| Tianlong-3 | TBD | SSO | Wenchang | Planned | Maiden flight of Tianlong-3. | |
| Tianlong-3 | September 2024[9] | SSO | Wenchang | Planned | ||
| Tianlong-3 | November 2024[9] | SSO | Jiuquan | Planned |
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b c Jones, Andrew (27 July 2021). "Chinese rocket company Space Pioneer secures major funding ahead of first launch". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Chinese Commercial Rocket Startup Space Pioneer Secures Series A". China Money Network. 17 September 2020. Archived from the original on 20 February 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Jones, Andrew (14 April 2020). "Space Pioneer raises $14 million to develop green liquid rocket engines". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
- ^ "Space Pioneer: Pioneering a Second-Mover Advantage". 27 September 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ Jones, Andrew (7 July 2023). "Chinese launch firm secures fresh funding for reusable rocket". SpaceNews. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
- ^ Jones, Andrew (13 February 2023). "Launches of Chinese commercial rockets could double in 2023". SpaceNews. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
- ^ China 'N Asia Spaceflight [@CNSpaceflight] (16 October 2022). "Finally we have more data of the mysterious Tianlong-2: 32.8m tall 5.7m D3.35m fairing 190t liftoff thrust with 7 TH-11(?) 1 300KN closed-cycle kerolox TH-11 vacuum in 2nd stage TH-31 upper stage for payloads deployment 2t to LEO 1.5t to 500km SSO" (Tweet). Retrieved 16 October 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ China 'N Asia Spaceflight [@CNSpaceflight] (2 April 2023). "🚀 History made on April 02, 2023! Liftoff at ~08:48UTC, SPACE-PIONEER's Tianlong-2 successfully launched Jinta cubesat from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. 🎉 World's first startup to successfully launch a liquid fueled rocket to orbit on first attempt" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b c China 'N Asia Spaceflight [@CNSpaceflight] (30 November 2023). "A leaked photo shows SPACE-PIONEER is targeting next June for the maiden launch of Tianlong-3, 14t to 500km SSO, from Wenchang commercial launch pad#2, which is still under construction. 2 more launches are planned for September & November from Wenchang & Jiuquan, 11t to 800km" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Andrew Jones [@AJ_FI] (30 June 2024). "Wow. This is apparently what was supposed to be a STATIC FIRE TEST today of a Tianlong-3 first stage by China's Space Pioneer. That's catastrophic, not static. Firm was targeting an orbital launch in the coming months. https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5050998629862652" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "China's Space Pioneer: First Stage Of Tianlong-3 Rocket Detached…". 30 June 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ "关于天龙三号大型液体运载火箭一子级动力系统试车的情况说明" (in Chinese (China)). Archived from the original on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ Andrew Jones [@AJ_FI] (30 June 2024). "Good news is that there are no casualties so far, according to The Paper. https://m.weibo.cn/status/Olpi2wMGc?refer_flag=1001030103_&jumpfrom=weibocom" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Tianbing Technology's "Tianhuo 3" 30-ton Liquid Rocket Engine Has Completed Its First Test Run". EqualOcean. 29 July 2021. Archived from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
- ^ Jones, Andrew (3 April 2023). "China's Space Pioneer reaches orbit with liquid propellant rocket". SpaceNews. Retrieved 16 April 2023.