I-Space (Chinese company)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, space launch services |
| Founded | October 2016 |
| Headquarters | Beijing , China |
Area served | Worldwide (orbital launch services) |
| Products | Orbital launch vehicles (Hyperbola-1, Hyperbola-2, Hyperbola-3), suborbital rockets (Hyperbola-1S, Hyperbola-1Z) |
i-Space (; also referred to as Space Honor, Beijing Interstellar Glory Space Technology Ltd., Interstellar Glory, or StarCraft Glory) is a Beijing-based Chinese private enterprise specializing in space technology development and orbital launch services. The company was established in October 2016.
This firm focuses on creating two-stage orbital launch vehicles designed for small satellite deployment, utilizing solid-fueled engines supplied by the prominent Chinese state contractor, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CAST).
In July 2019, i-Space made history by successfully sending the Hyperbola-1 rocket into low Earth orbit on its inaugural mission, becoming the first private Chinese company to reach orbit. However, subsequent attempts with the same rocket—two in 2021 and one in 2022—did not succeed. The organization regained momentum in 2023, conducting a successful test flight in April and later, in December, deploying the DEAR-1 satellite into a SSO.
History
Since its inception in 2016, i-Space has marked several key achievements. By 2019, it had conducted suborbital test launches of the single-stage solid-propellant rockets Hyperbola-1S and Hyperbola-1Z. The landmark moment came on 25 July 2019 when the Hyperbola-1 completed its maiden orbital flight from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, establishing i-Space as the first private Chinese entity to place a payload into low Earth orbit.
In 2020, the company secured Series B financing amounting to .
Suborbital rockets: Hyperbola-1S and Hyperbola-1Z
The Hyperbola-1S (SQX-1S) and Hyperbola-1Z (SQX-1Z) are single-stage solid-fuel rockets intended for suborbital testing. The Hyperbola-1S measures approximately in length with a diameter of , weighing . The Hyperbola-1Z features a diameter near , can reach speeds up to , and attains altitudes around during suborbital flights.
The initial test flight of the Hyperbola-1S took place on 5 April 2018 from Hainan Island, achieving an altitude of . Later, on 5 September 2018, a commercial suborbital launch using the Hyperbola-1Z from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center reached an altitude of , surpassing a peak velocity of . This mission carried payloads from private Chinese satellite firms ZeroG Labs and ADA-space, successfully deploying three CubeSats—one of which returned safely to Earth via parachute.
Hyperbola-1
The Hyperbola-1 (Shuang Quxian-1, SQX-1) is a four-stage solid-fueled orbital rocket standing tall with a diameter of , weighing . It incorporates liquid-fueled engines for attitude control. Its payload capacity to low Earth orbit (LEO) is approximately . The vehicle’s design is believed to draw inspiration from Chinese military missile systems such as the DF-11 or DF-15. The first stage includes four grid fins for aerodynamic control. Launch expenses are estimated at around US$5 million.
On its first orbital attempt on 25 July 2019 from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the Hyperbola-1 successfully delivered multiple payloads—including the CAS-7B amateur radio satellite—into low Earth orbit. This achievement marked a milestone as the inaugural orbital launch by a private Chinese space company.
A subsequent launch on 1 February 2021 carrying six satellites failed due to a grid fin control malfunction caused by insulation debris. This rocket featured exterior artwork by artist Xu Bing, earning it the nickname "Tianshu." Another launch on 3 August 2021 was unsuccessful because of issues with fairing separation that prevented payload deployment. A fourth attempt conducted on 13 May 2022 also did not succeed.
In April 2023, i-Space returned to success with its fifth Hyperbola-1 launch reaching orbit without an operational payload or using a dummy payload. This was followed by a December 17, 2023 mission that successfully inserted the DEAR-1 satellite from Azspace into a Sun-synchronous orbit at approximately 500 km altitude.
Hyperbola-2
The Hyperbola-2 (Chinese: 双曲线二号) is a two-stage, reusable rocket powered by liquid fuel, engineered to deliver a payload of 1.9 tons to low Earth orbit (LEO). It is equipped with the JD-1 engine, which utilizes methane as fuel and liquid oxygen as the oxidizer. The first stage is designed for propulsive landing to enable reuse. The JD-1 engine completed its initial hot fire test in May 2020. By July 2022, the inaugural launch was anticipated in 2023, following preliminary hop tests of the first stage. However, in July 2023, i-Space announced halting further development of Hyperbola-2 to concentrate efforts on the reusable medium-lift Hyperbola-3 rocket.
Hyperbola-3
Standing 69 meters tall, the Hyperbola-3 is a two-stage, partially reusable liquid-fueled launch vehicle capable of transporting at least 8.5 tons to LEO when operated in reusable mode, and up to 13.4 tons in expendable configuration. It runs on a combination of methane fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer. The first stage is intended to perform a vertical landing using deployable landing legs. The rocket is powered by the Focus-1 methalox engine, which is restartable and was flight-proven during a hop test conducted by the Hyperbola-2Y test platform on 2 November 2023, achieving an altitude of 178.42 meters. A subsequent hop on 10 December 2023 successfully reached approximately 343 meters altitude with around 50 meters horizontal displacement. i-Space plans for an expendable Hyperbola-3 maiden flight in 2025 and aims to achieve first-stage vertical recovery by 2026; a heavier-lift variant featuring three cores, named Hyperbola-3B, is also in development.
Launch History
| Flight number | Launch vehicle | Serial number | Date (UTC) | Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hyperbola-1 | Y1 | 25 July 2019 05:00 |
LS-95A, JSLC | CAS-7B undisclosed payloads |
LEO | Template:Success |
| 2 | Hyperbola-1 | Y2 | 1 February 2021 08:15 |
LS-95A, JSLC | undisclosed payloads | SSO | Template:Failure |
| 3 | Hyperbola-1 | Y5 | 3 August 2021 07:39 |
LS-95B, JSLC | Jilin-1 Mofang-01A | SSO | Template:Failure |
| 4 | Hyperbola-1 | Y4 | 13 May 2022 07:09 |
LS-95B, JSLC | Jilin-1 Mofang-01A (R) | SSO | Template:Failure |
| 5 | Hyperbola-1 | Y6 | 7 April 2023 04:00 |
LS-95A, JSLC | 'No payload' (Flight test) | SSO | Template:Success |
| 6 | Hyperbola-1 | Y7 | 17 December 2023 07:00 |
LS-95A, JSLC | DEAR-1/Liangxi-1 | SSO | Template:Success |
| 7 | Hyperbola-1 | Y8 | 10 July 2024 23:40 |
LS-95A, JSLC | Yunyao-1 15-17 | SSO | Template:Failure |
| 8 | Hyperbola-1 | Y10 | 29 July 2025 04:11 |
LS-95A, JSLC | Kunpeng-03 | SSO | Template:Success |
| 9 | Hyperbola-3 | "Y1" | "2025" | "Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center" | "Template:Planned" |
Additional Projects
In May 2018, i-Space revealed intentions to develop a reusable suborbital spaceplane aimed at entering the space tourism sector.
Marketplace
i-Space operates in a competitive landscape alongside several Chinese rocket startups such as LandSpace, Galactic Energy, ExPace, LinkSpace, OneSpace, and Deep Blue Aerospace.
See also
- OneSpace, a rival Chinese company
- Space Pioneer, a private Chinese firm specializing in liquid rocket engines and launch vehicles
- Deep Blue Aerospace
- LinkSpace