Space Pioneer
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 2019 |
| Founder | Kang Yonglai |
| Headquarters | Beijing , China |
Area served | China |
Key people | Kang Yonglai (Founder) |
| Products | Reusable orbital launch vehicles, liquid rocket engines |
Space Pioneer (), officially known as Beijing Tianbing Technology Co., Ltd., is a Chinese aerospace enterprise dedicated to creating reusable orbital rocket technologies, including both launch vehicles and liquid rocket engines, aimed at delivering cost-effective access to space. The company primarily serves the launch requirements of China's national satellite internet initiative and the China National Space Administration's (CNSA) Tiangong space station resupply missions.
The core objective of Space Pioneer is to "achieve technological breakthroughs and enhance performance by adopting a technology strategy aligned with commercial market demands, thereby boosting launch efficiency while lowering expenses."
History
Established in 2019 by Kang Yonglai, previously the Chief Technology Officer at LandSpace, Space Pioneer secured two rounds of financing that year, including backing from Zhejiang University, to advance its Tianhuo series of liquid bipropellant rocket engines.
In April 2020, the firm attracted investment to complete development of its 30-ton-force Tianhuo-3 engine, which had already begun hot fire testing in 2019. By September 2020, a Series A funding round brought in several hundred million yuan.
A pre-Series B investment round in July 2021 provided capital to finalize the development of the Tianlong-1 reusable kerolox launch vehicle, engineered to deliver payloads exceeding 2 tons to orbit during 2021–22.
In July 2023, Space Pioneer revealed a Series C funding round worth several hundred million yuan, pushing total investment close to . These resources are allocated for advancing the Tianlong-3 reusable launch vehicle project.
Technology
Space Pioneer specializes in reusable spaceflight systems, designing both launch vehicles and liquid rocket engines intended for multiple uses, distinguishing itself from conventional disposable rockets.
Tianlong-1
The Tianlong-1 is a kerolox-powered rocket utilizing the Tianhuo-3 engine, capable of transporting over 3 tonnes to low Earth orbit.
Tianlong-2
Operational since early 2023, the Tianlong-2 stands at 32.8 meters in height and can carry payloads up to 2 tonnes to LEO and 1.5 tonnes to a 500 km SSO orbit. Its inaugural flight on April 2, 2023, successfully deployed the Jinta cubesat into sun-synchronous orbit, marking Space Pioneer as the first startup globally to achieve orbit on its debut liquid-fueled kerolox rocket launch.
Tianlong-3
Currently under development, the Tianlong-3 is a two-stage kerolox launcher featuring a reusable first stage. It is designed to lift approximately 17 tonnes to LEO and around 14 tonnes to a 500 km SSO orbit, positioning it as a competitor to SpaceX's Falcon 9. The maiden flight is slated for June 2024, followed by two additional launches planned before year-end.
On June 30, 2024, during a static fire test, structural failure caused an unintended separation of the Tianlong-3 first stage, resulting in an uncontrolled ascent. The vehicle subsequently landed and exploded roughly 1.5 kilometers southwest of the test facility in Gongyi, China, with no injuries reported.
Engines
The Tianhuo (Sky Fire) engine family began with Tianhuo-1 (TH-1), which completed ground testing prior to 2020. This was succeeded by Tianhuo-2 (TH-2), which underwent its initial hot fire test in early 2020. The Tianhuo-3 (TH-3) is a kerolox liquid bipropellant engine delivering thrust and serves as the primary engine for the Tianlong-1 launch vehicle; it completed a 50-second hot-fire ground test in December 2020.
Subsequently renamed TH-11, this engine successfully powered the second stage of the Tianlong-2 rocket. A larger thrust-class TH-12 engine is currently being developed for use on the forthcoming Tianlong-3 launch vehicle.
Launch Records
| Vehicle & Serial Number | Launch Date | Cargo | Orbit Type | Launch Facility | Result | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tianlong-2 | 2 April 2023, 08:48 UTC |
Ai Taikong Kexue ("love space science") | SSO | Jiuquan | Template:Success | Marked the first instance of a Chinese private enterprise achieving orbit with a liquid-fueled rocket; also the first worldwide to accomplish orbital insertion on its inaugural attempt using an entirely liquid-propellant vehicle. |
| Tianlong-3 (first stage) | 30 June 2024 | None | Suborbital | Gongyi | Template:Failure | A hold-down clamp malfunction during a static fire test led to an unintended suborbital launch and the loss of the rocket. |
| Tianlong-3 | September 2025 | SSO | Wenchang | Template:Planned | Scheduled as the debut flight for the Tianlong-3 rocket. | |
| Tianlong-3 | September 2024 | SSO | Wenchang | Template:Planned | ||
| Tianlong-3 | November 2024 | SSO | Jiuquan | Template:Planned |