Company:Space Pioneer

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Short description: Chinese aerospace company
Beijing Tianbing Technology Co., Ltd.
Space Pioneer
Native name
北京天兵科技有限公司
TypePrivate
IndustryAerospace
Founded2015; 9 years ago (2015)
FounderKang Yonglai
Headquarters
Beijing
,
China
Websitewww.spacepioneer.cc

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]

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

Space Pioneer was founded in 2015[3] by Kang Yonglai.[2]

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.[4]

Technology

Space 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.

Rockets

Tianlong-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, another launch vehicle designed by the company, entered service in early 2023.[5] It is 32.8m tall, and it can lift up to 2t to LEO and 1.5t to 500km SSO.[6] 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.[7]

Tianlong-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.[8]

Engines

Tianhuo-1

Tianhuo-1 (TH-1) was the initial Space Pioneer rocket engine, with hot-fire ground testing completed before 2020.[2]

Tianhuo-2

Tianhuo-2 (TH-2) was developed subsequent to Tianhuo-1, with the first hot fire test of the engine was in early 2020.[3][2]

Tianhuo-3

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.[9]

Launches

Rocket & Serial Date Payload Orbit Launch Site Outcome Notes
Tianlong-2 2 April 2023,
08:48 UTC[10] 		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 June 2024[8] SSO Wenchang Planned Maiden flight of Tianlong-3.
Tianlong-3 September 2024[8] SSO Wenchang Planned
Tianlong-3 November 2024[8] SSO Jiuquan Planned

See also

  • i-Space, a competitive Chinese private launch company using solid rocket engine technology
  • OneSpace, a Chinese company competitor

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Jones, Andrew (27 July 2021). "Chinese rocket company Space Pioneer secures major funding ahead of first launch". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/chinese-rocket-company-space-pioneer-secures-major-funding-ahead-of-first-launch/. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Chinese Commercial Rocket Startup Space Pioneer Secures Series A". China Money Network. 17 September 2020. https://www.chinamoneynetwork.com/2020/09/17/chinese-commercial-rocket-startup-space-pioneer-secures-series-a. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Jones, Andrew (14 April 2020). "Space Pioneer raises $14 million to develop green liquid rocket engines". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/space-pioneer-raises-14-million-to-develop-green-liquid-rocket-engines/. 
  4. ↑ Jones, Andrew (7 July 2023). "Chinese launch firm secures fresh funding for reusable rocket". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/chinese-launch-firm-secures-fresh-funding-for-reusable-rocket/. 
  5. ↑ Jones, Andrew (13 February 2023). "Launches of Chinese commercial rockets could double in 2023". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/launches-of-chinese-commercial-rockets-could-double-in-2023/. 
  6. ↑ 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". https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1581667259012947968. 
  7. ↑ 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". https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1642456128020951040. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 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". https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1730274941197484237. 
  9. ↑ "Tianbing technology's "Tianhuo 3" 30 ton liquid rocket engine has completed its first test run". EqualOcean. 29 July 2021. https://equalocean.com/briefing/20201230230015639. 
  10. ↑ Jones, Andrew (2023-04-03). "China's Space Pioneer reaches orbit with liquid propellant rocket" (in en-US). https://spacenews.com/chinas-space-pioneer-reaches-orbit-with-liquid-propellant-rocket/. 



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