On the week 26th September 2025 0135 Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time CNSA –China National Space Administration , China, People’s Republic of China Looking down from the Tiangong China -Chinese space station……Successfully Completed! Shenzhou20 Crew’s Fourth Extravehicular Activity ….. At 01:35 a.m. Beijing time on September 26, 2025, after approximately six hours of extravehicular activity, Shenzhou 20 Takionaut Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie, working closely together with the space station’s robotic arm and ground-based researchers, successfully completed their planned extravehicular mission. Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie have safely returned to the Wentian laboratory module, marking the successful extravehicular activity.
Chinese people are looking forward to National Day even after going to space Chinese Takionaut say they haven’t been out enough….. Looking forward to the next one….Today, the #Shenzhou-20 Takionaut successfully completed their fourth spacewalk . Astronaut Chen Zhongrui said, “We’ve completed four spacewalks, but it feels like we haven’t been out enough. I look forward to seeing you again next time!” Astronaut Chen Dong also sent early greetings from space: “National Day is just a few days away. From space, we wish everyone a happy holiday, wish our space home healthy and stable operations, and wish our great motherland peace, prosperity, and prosperity!” Repost to receive your greetings!
During the extravehicular activity, Takionaut Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie completed tasks such as installing the station’s debris shield and inspecting extravehicular equipment and facilities. This marked the first time two Takionaut from the third group have jointly completed an extravehicular operation. To date, the Shenzhou 20 crew has completed four extravehicular activities, making them one of the Chinese crews with the most extravehicular missions.
The Shenzhou 20 crew has now spent over 150 days in orbit. They are scheduled to conduct numerous scientific and technical experiments and celebrate National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival aboard the Chinese space station.
At 1556 Beijing time on 24th September, 2025, in the Yellow Sea near Rizhao, Shandong, the “Jielong-3” Yao-8 carrier rocket was ignited and launched on the “Dongfang Spaceport” launch ship, and then sent the Geely Constellation 05 group of satellites into a low-Earth orbit (LEO) with an altitude of500 km sun-synchronous orbit…
[ Jielong-3 carrier rocket successfully launched at sea ]
At 15:56 Beijing time on September 24, 2025, China’s Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center successfully launched the Geely Constellation 06 satellites using the Jielong-3 carrier rocket in the waters near Rizhao, Shandong Province. The satellites successfully entered the planned orbit and the launch mission was a complete success. The mission also carried the Peking University Space Satélite 01 test satellite
[ Jielong-3 Sea Launch Success Achieves Two Consecutive Launches in Half a Month] At 15:56 on September 24, the Jielong-3 carrier rocket ignited and lifted off from the waters near Rizhao, Shandong Province, subsequently sending the Geely Constellation 06 satellites into the planned orbit, marking a complete success. The mission also carried and launched the Peking University Space Star 01 test satellite.
The Jielong-3 rocket was developed and manufactured by the First Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The rocket uses a four-stage solid engine in a tandem layout and adopts a “three horizontal and one vertical” hot launch method, namely horizontal docking, horizontal testing, horizontal transportation, and overall erection followed by vertical hot launch. It is mainly used to launch spacecraft into sun-synchronous orbit and low-Earth orbit, with a carrying capacity of 1,500 kilograms into a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit.
This mission is the eighth launch of the Jielong-3 carrier rocket and the third time this type of rocket has carried out a Geely Constellation rapid network launch mission, just half a month after the last mission
The Jielong-3 rocket was developed by the First Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The rocket utilizes a four-stage solid-fuel engine in a tandem configuration and is primarily designed for launching spacecraft into sun-synchronous and low-Earth orbits. It has a payload capacity of 1,500 kg to a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit
Geely Constellation 06 Group” satellites developed by SpaceTime Aerospace. It is understood that the Geely Constellation satellites can provide real- time data communication services worldwide, and its application scenarios mainly cover the automotive, consumer electronics and other fields.
The mission’s payload consists of 11 satellites from the Geely Constellation 05 Group, including 10 operational satellites and one technical test satellite. The Geely Constellation, also known as the Geely Future Mobility Constellation, is the world’s first commercial integrated communications, navigation, and remote sensing constellation, developed by Zhejiang Spacetime Daoyu Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Geely Holding Group. It will provide low-orbit communications, navigation augmentation, and remote sensing imaging services. The Geely Constellation will be constructed in three phases. Phase I plans to include 72 satellites, aiming to achieve global real-time data communications and provide low- and medium-speed satellite communications services to over 200 million users worldwide. The constellation plans to launch 5,676 communications satellites, providing global commercial low-orbit broadband communications services.
This mission marks the fourth launch of the Geely constellation, bringing the total number of satellites in orbit to 41. It is expected that within the next two months, the number of satellites in orbit will increase to 64, enabling real-time data communications for most of the world (excluding the North and South Poles).
The Smart Dragon-3 (SD-3) is a medium-sized solid-propellant carrier rocket developed by the First Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) and invested in by its subsidiary, the China Rocket Corporation. It features a four-stage tandem configuration, powered entirely by solid propellant engines developed by the Fourth Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). Targeted for the commercial space launch market, the rocket is primarily used for launches to Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
The Jielong-3 rocket stands 31.8 meters tall, has a maximum diameter of 2.65 meters, a takeoff mass of 140 tons, and a takeoff thrust of 200 tons. When launched from sea, it can carry no less than 1.6 tons to a low-Earth orbit (LEO) at an altitude of 650 kilometers and an inclination of 55 degrees. The rocket was assembled at the China Rocket Corporation’s Haiyang plant in Shandong Province and features a 3.35-meter-diameter fairing.
This rocket is the first rocket of the “Jielong-3” batch production 01, marking the rocket’s transition from “customization” to “mass” production, which means that it will increase production capacity, reduce costs, support the implementation of higher-frequency launches, and meet the “low-cost, high-frequency” launch needs of commercial aerospace.
Currently, the China Rocket Corporation has signed a framework agreement with SpaceTime Aerospace for 10 rocket launches, and will conduct three consecutive launches (Yao-6, Yao-7, and Yao-8) for the Geely constellation within two months. The Yao-6 mission officially marks the beginning of a high-frequency launch of the Jielong-3 and the beginning of a period of intensive launches for the Geely constellation. This mission is the second launch of the Jielong-3 carrier rocket in 2025, the sixth launch of the Jielong-3 rocket in total and the seventh launch of the Jielong series of rockets.
In which iSpace- Interstellar Glory in which it is the first Chinese Private Space Company to do so successfully commercially first out from sixty known private space companies in China People’s Republic of China… Founded in Beijing 2016 located in Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone or known for short as E-Town in Capital of China – People’s Republic of China
Rendering of the Interstellar Glory reusable liquid carrier rocket production base
Interstellar Glory completes the first round of D+ financing with a total investment of RMB 700 million…
Recently , Interstellar Glory Aerospace Technology Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Interstellar Glory”) completed the delivery of the first batch of funds of RMB 700 million in its D+ round of financing. This round of financing was led by Chengdu Major Industrialization Project Phase II Equity Investment Fund Co., Ltd., a fund under Chengdu Advanced Capital, and followed by funds under Chengdu Airport Innovation and Entrepreneurship Investment Co., Ltd. and Chengdu Yingyuan Private Equity Fund Management Co., Ltd.
The raised funds will be primarily used for the research and development of the Hyperbola-3 reusable launch vehicle, the construction of a rocket production base in Chengdu’s Shuangliu District, and the development of an engine production line in Mianyang’s Fucheng District. This financing marks the launch of Interstellar Glory’s strategic partnership with Chengdu’s Shuangliu District, establishing a collaborative “Deyang-Mianyang-Chengdu” presence in Sichuan and fully supporting the revitalization of Sichuan’s commercial aerospace industry ecosystem.
Interstellar Glory’s establishment in Chengdu’s Shuangliu District will advance the construction of a reusable liquid rocket production base. The project integrates the research, development, production, and testing of large, reusable liquid launch vehicles. Upon full production, it will have an annual production capacity of 20 Hyperbola-3 launch vehicles. This will significantly enhance the company’s ability to scale up its core product production, injecting strong momentum into seizing launch opportunities for domestic low-orbit satellite constellations. Furthermore, combined with Shuangliu District’s superior industrial policies and locational advantages, the project will fill a gap in Chengdu’s rocket assembly and intelligent manufacturing sector.
This round of financing will directly accelerate the development of Interstellar Glory’s flagship product, the Hyperbola-3 reusable launch vehicle. The company is currently steadily progressing preparations for its maiden flight. To date, all product sets have been delivered and final assembly has begun, with the company fully focused on its first “orbital insertion and at-sea recovery” flight test.
The commercial Tianlong-3 rocket has completed its most important ground test, and the giant constellation network will usher in powerful forces.
On September 15, 2025 (Beijing time), the Tianlong-3 carrier rocket successfully conducted a first-stage power system test (static ignition) on the HOS-1 semi-stationary offshore test platform at the Oriental Spaceport in Haiyang, Shandong Province. This full-system test verified the correctness of the design and coordinated operation of all first-stage systems. The test, which closely simulated the rocket’s actual flight conditions, demonstrated accurate engine start sequence, stable operation, and normal shutdown. All parameters obtained through comprehensive system drills met the performance requirements for the rocket’s maiden flight.
The launch vehicle propulsion system test is the most complex, challenging, and complex ground test during the development process. It is also the most crucial pre-flight test before the launch vehicle’s maiden flight. The successful launch of the first-stage propulsion system test marks the final sprint for the Tianlong-3 launch vehicle’s maiden flight.
It is expected to become China’s first 20-ton commercial rocket to achieve orbital launch.
Prior to this, China’s national space program had already fielded several medium-sized commercial launch vehicles, including the Long March 8, Long March 6A, Long March 12, and Long March 8A. However, their maximum low-Earth orbit (LEO) lift capacity remained at 12 tons. During the same period, China’s private commercial space companies fielded several medium-sized launch vehicles, including the Tianlong 2, Zhuque 2, and Yinli 1, each with a maximum LEO lift capacity of only 6.5 tons. As China embarks on large-scale network construction of its massive satellite constellation, facing the launch demands of tens of thousands of satellites, these medium-sized launch vehicles are only sufficient to meet the initial launch needs of this network. The market is demanding larger launch vehicles with greater lift capacity
The Tianlong-3 is a large cryogenic liquid-propellant carrier rocket independently developed by Beijing Tianbing Technology Co., Ltd., featuring a two-stage tandem configuration. The rocket’s first and second stages have diameters of 3.8 meters, with optional 4.2-meter and 5.2-meter diameter fairings. The rocket stands 72 meters tall (with the standard 4.2-meter diameter fairing). It has a takeoff mass of approximately 600 tons and a thrust of 840 tons, achieving a thrust-to-weight ratio of approximately 1.4. It can carry 17 to 22 tons to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and 10 to 17 tons to a 500-kilometer Sun-synchronous Orbit (SSO).
Before the end of the year, the Tianlong-3 carrier rocket is expected to conduct its maiden orbital flight at Tianbing Technology’s self-built liquid rocket launch station in the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Experimental Zone at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. If successful, the Tianlong-3 is expected to become China’s first 20-ton commercial rocket to achieve orbital flight. With its 20-ton near-Earth payload, the Tianlong-3 will be capable of launching 36 satellites on a single mission for the 240-kilogram Qianfan constellation’s first-generation satellite network.
Fully meet the “large capacity, high frequency, low cost” space launch needs..
Previously, China deployed the Long March 5B, the country’s most powerful carrier rocket currently in service, to launch a batch of low-Earth orbit satellites for the China StarNet constellation (China’s satellite internet constellation). While this rocket has a capacity of 25 tons in low-Earth orbit, it lacks the ability to provide high-frequency and low-cost launch services. For large-scale constellations, this is only suitable for short-term missions, and the primary launch vehicles must be sourced from other commercial launch vehicles, such as the Tianlong-3 and Suzaku-3
“Tianlong-3” is a large-scale reusable cryogenic liquid carrier rocket developed by Tianbing Technology with reference to the “Falcon 9”. The design concept and configuration method are highly similar. It adopts a single-core stage configuration with two stages in series. The first stage has nine launches in parallel to achieve power redundancy, and the first stage can be recovered and reused multiple times.
Reusability supports high-frequency launches. The Tianlong-3’s first stage is equipped with nine Tianhuo-12 (TH-12) liquid oxygen-kerosene engines. These engines utilize a gas generator cycle and pump-back swing. Each engine has a sea-level thrust of 93 tons, a sea-level specific impulse of 285 seconds, and a thrust-to-mass ratio of 163. They can achieve deep-thrust control from 50% to 110% and can be started four times per flight. The Tianhuo-12’s deep-thrust control and multiple-start capabilities are essential for the rocket’s recovery. Furthermore, the Tianlong-3’s first stage is equipped with grid rudders and landing legs, enabling precise vertical landing and recovery.
According to the design goal, after the first stage is recovered and returned to the factory, it can be put into the next launch after relatively simple maintenance. Compared with expendable rockets, reusable rockets can support a higher launch frequency with the same rocket production capacity. The “Tianlong-3” aims to achieve a launch frequency of more than 30 times per year. To ensure frequent launches, Tianbing Technology has built China’s first privately-owned liquid oxygen and kerosene rocket dedicated launch platform at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and has begun planning and construction of a second dedicated launch platform.
Recycling and reuse enable “low-cost” launches. For a single-core launch vehicle with a two-stage tandem configuration, the first stage accounts for the majority of the rocket’s construction cost. Multiple recycling and reuse can significantly reduce the cost of a single launch, ultimately enabling the large-scale batch launches required for large-scale constellation networking at a low per-launch price.
Schematic diagram of the “Skyfire-12” (TH-12) liquid oxygen-kerosene engine
With the advancement of space technology and the development of space resources, the demand for space launches is growing exponentially, a phenomenon currently primarily reflected in the planning and construction of low-orbit satellite constellations. Due to the limited and exclusive nature of Earth’s orbital resources, as well as the international allocation principles of “first come, first served” and “limited launch,” the construction of satellite constellations, especially large-scale low-orbit satellite constellations, demands ultra-large-scale launches, necessitating the continuous use of high-capacity rockets to achieve high-frequency launches at a manageable and moderate cost. This makes large-scale launch vehicles with “high capacity, high frequency, and low cost” a primary development goal for rocket developers, and the Tianlong-3 fully meets these requirements.
Build a highly reliable commercial rocket
On June 30, 2024, Tianbing Technology conducted a static ignition of the first stage of its Tianlong-3 carrier rocket, consisting of nine engines, at the Gongyi Comprehensive Test Center in Henan Province. During the test, the engine thrust reached 820 tons. However, due to a structural failure at the connection between the rocket body and the test stand, the first stage separated from the test stand and unexpectedly launched into space. The onboard computer subsequently shut down, and the rocket fell into a nearby mountain and disintegrated, resulting in a failed test. A review determined that a weak tail structure was the direct cause of the 630 test failure, reflecting the rocket’s design reliability. Reliability, which measures the success rate of rocket launches and is the prerequisite and foundation for the rocket’s continued and stable launch missions, was the direct cause of the failure.
Faced with the test failure, Tianbing Technology implemented 127 reliability improvement and growth measures, including the use of new materials to increase the safety factor of the connection structure to 1.5 times the industry standard, adding redundant restraint devices, adding eight ground safety shutdown methods, and jointly reviewing and recalculating 63 key technologies with third-party agencies, etc., to promote the rapid iteration of the “Tianlong 3” carrier rocket in “zeroing”, with the goal of becoming a cost-effective and highly reliable commercial carrier rocket.
Launching a launch vehicle is a highly challenging and risky production activity. Unlike vehicles used in general terrestrial production activities, which can be modified over time and achieve high reliability over a long period of time, launch vehicles with insufficient reliability designs are likely to experience frequent accidents and be unable to carry out continuous and stable launch missions. This leads to a lack of market confidence and difficulty in securing sufficient launch orders, ultimately making the corresponding rocket model and even the development company unsustainable. Currently, after several commercial rocket companies have experienced launch mission failures, rocket reliability has been placed in a more prominent position, and high reliability has become a prerequisite for commercial rockets.
Key technologies realize application innovation
The development of the Tianlong-3 rocket wasn’t simply based on foreign benchmark models; instead, it achieved innovative applications in key technologies. In its powertrain, the Tianlong-3 utilizes 3D printing technology on a large scale. Approximately 90% of the components of the Tianhuo-12 engine are printed in an integrated manner, significantly shortening the development cycle. The propellant utilizes coal-based aerospace kerosene, effectively reducing fuel costs. Combined with sulfur separation technology, this significantly improves engine coking and enhances the rocket’s reusability potential. Key subsystems utilize a triple-redundant computer independently developed by Tianbing Technology. By utilizing industrial-grade components, system costs are significantly reduced while ensuring high reliability.
In the new era of global space development, small and even medium-sized rockets are merely entry-level products for commercial rocket companies. Medium-sized to large and large reusable rockets, especially large reusable rockets, are the main products to be promoted, and they require comprehensive orbital capabilities. The second stage of the Tianlong-3 has a second-launch capability, enabling it to carry out launch missions into low, medium, and high Earth orbits. In low-orbit missions, it can carry out multi-satellite missions in different orbits. In medium- and high-orbit missions, it can send spacecraft into transfer orbits. With the addition of an upper stage, it can directly send satellites into medium and high orbits.
Overall, the “Tianlong-3” will be a rocket product with comprehensive capabilities that can meet market demand to a large extent. It will surely become a powerful general in China’s giant constellation networking!
On the 16th September 2025 Hours Hong- Kong SAR – Beijing time CNSA –China National Space Administration , China, People’s Republic of China At 0906 Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time Beijing time on September 16, 2025, my country successfully launched the satellite internet technology test satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Inner Mongolia, China, People’s Republic of China. Using the Long March 2C carrier rocket/Expedition 1S upper stage. The satellite smoothly entered the planned orbit and the launch mission was a complete success.
Centering using a Long March 2C carrier rocket with an upper stage of the Yuanzheng 1S. The satellite entered its planned orbit smoothly; The Long March 2C/Expedition 1S configuration rocket is based on the Long March 2C two-stage rocket and adds the Expedition 1S liquid upper stage. It can perform launch missions in various orbits and has the ability to execute one satellite per launch, multiple satellites per launch, and constellation deployments. It supports series, parallel, side-mounted, and combined configurations. The rocket has a 700 km solar range …
Both the Long March 2C rocket and the Expedition 1S upper stage were developed by the First Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
This mission is the 595th flight of the Long March series of carrier rockets.
