After comparing the technical parameters of rocket models from various private rocket companies a few days ago, some readers asked about the development progress of these rocket types in the background. I wrote another article to talk about this issue in a unified way. Some of the information in it is not the latest, and some things have not been released by others. It is difficult to say here. It can be used as a reference.<\/p>\n
1. Tianlong-3<\/p>\n
On March 21, 2024, all nine “Tianhuo Twelve” (TH-12) engines of the Tianlong 3 first stage successfully completed the calibration hot test and were delivered. During the calibration test, the engine simulates the first flight propellant inlet conditions under rated operating conditions and rated mixing ratio. Each test lasts 50 seconds. During the test run, the engine started quickly, worked smoothly, shut down normally, the performance and mixture ratio adjustment accuracy were better than \u00b11.5%, and the one-time adjustment and calibration was successful.<\/p>\n
On June 30, 2024, the Tianlong-3 first-stage nine-stage parallel power system underwent hot testing at the Gongyi test base in Henan. During the test run, the first sub-stage ignited smoothly, but due to structural problems at the connection between the rocket body and the test bench, the first sub-stage separated from the launch pad after liftoff. Subsequently, the computer on the rocket automatically shut down at a critical moment, and the rocket eventually fell into the mountains 1.5 kilometers southwest of the test platform and disintegrated. In this test run, the engine thrust reached 820 tons. It was a pity that it was not pulled, otherwise it would definitely accelerate the overall development progress of my country’s private commercial rockets. Unfortunately, this accident also directly affected the first flight of Tianlong 3.<\/p>\n
In June 2025, Tianlong 3 arrived at the Dongfang Space Port in Haiyang, Shandong, and will soon conduct power system trials on the HOS-1 sea test platform. The HOS-1 sea test platform is my country’s first semi-fixed rocket sea launch test platform. The platform can meet the test requirements of the first-stage system of liquid oxygen kerosene or liquid oxygen methane propellant rockets with a length of no more than 72 meters and a diameter of no more than 3.8 meters. The maximum test time allowed is 200 s.<\/p>\n
2. Suzaku No. 3<\/p>\n
On April 15, 2025, Blue Arrow Aerospace\u2019s 100th Tianque series liquid oxygen methane rocket engine rolled off the assembly line in Huzhou. This is very important for the future production of Zhuque-3.<\/p>\n
On June 20, 2025, Zhuque-3 used nine “Tianque-12A” liquid oxygen methane engines developed by Blue Arrow Aerospace and successfully conducted a nine-machine parallel power system test run in the Jiuquan Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Test Zone, with a total thrust of approximately 754 tons. The test strictly simulated the entire process of the Suzaku-3 first flight mission, covering propellant filling, tank pressurization, engine batch start (sequential ignition), steady-state operation for 40 seconds and servo swing test, verifying the matching of the entire system and the coordination of rocket and ground testing. The advantage of Zhuque-3 is that Blue Arrow Aerospace has its own launch station in Jiuquan, and its first-stage power system can be tested directly at its own station, which is a great advantage. It is a very critical issue where the first-stage power system test of other private rocket companies\u2019 rockets will be conducted.<\/p>\n
3. Yuanxingzhe No.1<\/p>\n
At 4:40 on May 29, 2025, the “Yuanxingzhe 1” verification rocket successfully conducted its first flight recovery test at Haiyang Oriental Space Port. The Yuanxingzhe 1 verification rocket is a full-size thin-walled stainless steel rocket with a diameter of 4.2 meters, a total height of approximately 26.8 meters, a take-off mass of approximately 57 tons, a test flight duration of 125 seconds, and a flight altitude of approximately 2.5 kilometers. During the flight test, the rocket successfully completed eight working stages: ignition and takeoff, full-thrust climb, variable thrust adjustment, primary engine shutdown, free descent taxiing, secondary engine start, deceleration to hover on the sea surface, and soft landing on the sea surface. Subsequently, after 18 hours, after 18 hours of autonomous passivation of the rocket body, simulated search and positioning, salvage and fixation, towing and lifting, ashore cleaning, and return to the factory for inspection, the Yuanxingzhe 1 verification rocket was successfully salvaged, cleaned and transferred to the factory. After preliminary inspection, the stainless steel rocket body showed no damage or leakage, and the engine and electrical products in the tail compartment were in good condition.<\/p>\n
The characteristic of Yuanxingzhe 1 is that Jian Yuan Technology does not have a self-developed engine, but uses Jiuzhou Yunjian\u2019s Longyun liquid oxygen methane engine. On June 23, 2024, the Longyun liquid oxygen methane engine successfully completed a 10 km-level flight-recovery test in Jiuquan. This is also the first flight-recovery test of an engineering rocket in my country. The arrow is from the Eighth Academy and the engine is from Jiuzhou Yunjian. In May 2025, the Longyun engine vacuum version underwent a 400s long-range hot test, and passed the multiple starts + long-term taxiing flight profile assessment, as well as the engine thrust and mixture ratio adjustment assessment.<\/p>\n
4. Lijian No. 2<\/p>\n
The problem with Lijian-2 is that the engines are not self-developed. Lijian-2 has a CBC configuration. The universal core-stage engine uses YF-102, and the second-stage engine uses YF-102V, both of which are from the Sixth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology.<\/p>\n
In October 2024, the Lijian-2 first-stage power system test engine YF-102 completed process testing and was delivered for final assembly. The three single engines completed 50 s ignition test respectively, with the engine rated thrust 820 kN. During the test run, the engine worked stably, all parameters were in line with expectations, the engine performance was qualified, and met the overall performance index requirements. After the test run, the product status was checked normally.<\/p>\n
In December 2024, the Lijian 2 second-stage liquid oxygen kerosene engine YF-102V and the servo system successfully conducted a joint hot test, marking that the Lijian 2 engine has completed the relevant work in the engineering development phase and is qualified to enter the flight test phase.<\/p>\n
In June 2025, both the first-stage power system and the second-stage power system of Lijian-2 were successfully tested. As a major landmark ground test in the development stage of the Lijian-2 project, the successful implementation of these two test-runs marked the completion of large-scale ground tests of the power system in the development phase of the Lijian-2 project and the conditions for transition to the flight test phase.<\/p>\n
5. Hyperbola No. 3<\/p>\n
On December 20, 2024, Interstellar Glory conducted the first test run of its self-developed Focus No. 2 (JD-2) engine F205, the first engine product in mass production flight status. The nine-level final assembly structure, thrust chamber weight reduction status, self-developed solenoid valve, heat exchanger improvement status, etc. were assessed. The test run lasted 20 seconds, and the test results were in line with expectations. On December 22, 2024, Interstellar Glory conducted a variable thrust test run on the JD-2 engine F-205 under medium and low working conditions, and assessed the variable thrust performance indicators and stability of the engine. The test run lasted 100 seconds. On December 24, 2024, Interstellar Glory conducted a variable thrust test run on the JD-2 engine F-205 under medium, high and low working conditions, and assessed the engine’s performance indicators and stability within the complete variable thrust range. The test run lasted 100 seconds. During the test run, the engine started\/shut down quickly, the operating conditions of the main engine were maintained stably, the engine responded quickly to changes in operating conditions, and the engine’s variable thrust performance indicators were consistent with the preset values.<\/p>\n
On April 3, 2025, Star Glory successfully completed the hydraulic strength assessment of its self-developed 4.2-meter-diameter sub-class methane storage tank for Hyperbola III, verifying that the structural strength and sealing of the tank met the design index requirements. On April 17, 2025, the Hyperbola No. 1 sub-stage liquid oxygen storage tank self-developed by Star Glory successfully completed the low-temperature static test, testing the adaptability and reliability of the cooperative work of various related systems and the tank. The completion of the above two tests indicates that both the first-stage fuel tank and the oxygen tank of Hyperbola III have met the conditions for flight testing.<\/p>\n
Currently, Interstellar Glory has put into production three Hyperbolic III rockets.<\/p>\n
6. Pallas 1<\/p>\n
As early as 2022, Galaxy Power’s self-developed “Cangqiong” 50-ton reusable liquid oxygen\/kerosene engine successfully conducted a full system test run, verifying the engine starting and shutting down sequence, the feasibility of the system and structural plan, and the working coordination of each assembly.<\/p>\n
In May 2024, Galaxy Power successfully conducted a CQ-50 engine and servo matching test to assess the coordination of the joint work of the engine and servo mechanism and the compliance of the functions and performance indicators of the high-power electric servo mechanism under real load conditions.<\/p>\n
In December 2024, Galaxy Power conducted a verification of the reverse thrust rocket scheme of the Pallas 1 launch vehicle. As the reverse thrust energy source for the separation of the first stage of the Pallas 1, the thrust reverse rocket is a key product that affects the success or failure of the flight. The test achieved the expected purpose.<\/p>\n
In December 2024, Galaxy Power carried out a cumulative series of ground thermal tests on the reliability of the CQ-50 liquid oxygen kerosene engine, which assessed the rated working condition long range, working condition deviation, mixture ratio deviation, entrance condition deviation, etc. In the future, CQ-50 will be installed on Pallas 1 in a seven-level parallel connection.<\/p>\n
Pallas 1 is the only seven-stage parallel rocket among these types of rockets, and relatively speaking, Galaxy Power is one of the best at keeping secrets among them. We can see if Galaxy Power itself will release some major node events this year.<\/p>\n
7. Gravity 2<\/p>\n
At present, Gravity 2 has entered the stage of complete product set and various large-scale ground tests.<\/p>\n
In December 2024, Oriental Space’s self-developed “Force-110” liquid oxygen kerosene engine gas generator successfully completed its first test run in Tai’an, Shandong Province, verifying the working performance of various gas generator solutions under standard and various deviation conditions. The test run results showed that the combustion efficiency of the gas generator is not less than 95% under the design state, and the outlet gas temperature uniformity is high.<\/p>\n
In June 2025, Gravity 2 successfully conducted a wind tunnel test to verify the simulation results of the rocket\u2019s aerodynamic shape design.<\/p>\n
The current problem of Gravity 2 should be the test run issue. Where to test the engine. This issue is still very important for Eastern Space. Another problem is that the core team of Eastern Space are all from the Chang 11 team. When Gravity 1 first flew, it was a sensation. After Gravity 1 was equipped with a liquid upper stage, the SSO (500 km) transport capacity reached 5.9 tons. When Gravity 2 is not recovered, the SSO transport capacity is 5.9 tons. When Gravity 2 is recovered, the SSO transport capacity is 3.9 tons. How much manpower will Eastern Space put on Gravity 2? How much money will be spent on Gravity 1 after its first flight? These are very important to the development progress of Gravity 2.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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