China’s commercial space industry is rapidly gaining momentum, with private companies aiming to compete with SpaceX. Backed by President Xi Jinping, the sector is set for a major leap in 2025, as at least six reusable Chinese rockets are expected to launch this year, according to the Wall Street Journal.
LandSpace Technology made history in 2023 by launching the world’s first rocket powered by liquid oxygen and methane, beating SpaceX to this milestone before the American company used the same fuel for its Starship rocket.
Deep Blue Aerospace, founded by a former state-owned rocket engineer, has ambitious plans. The company is preparing to test a reusable booster in 2025 and aims to launch space tourism flights by 2027, with ticket prices exceeding $100,000 per person.
Chinese aerospace entrepreneur Huo remains confident in the country’s potential, stating that private firms in China could match or even surpass SpaceX within the next five years.
Since 2014, China has actively encouraged private companies to participate in the space sector, which was previously monopolized by state-owned enterprises (SOEs). This shift is driving new competition and innovation in the field.
Challenges in competing with SpaceX
SpaceX currently dominates the market with its reusable rockets and extensive Starlink satellite network, which now includes over 7,000 satellites. Despite China’s rapid progress, experts note that it still faces an uphill battle in closing the technological gap with SpaceX.
Lincoln Hines, an assistant professor at Georgia Tech, explained the challenge: “If China continues to have this bloated state-driven industry, it can do these enormous feats like going to the far side of the moon or placing humans in space, but can it innovate and compete with the United States?”
China has also encountered setbacks. A failed launch by private company Space Pioneer in 2023 caused damage to a local area, highlighting the risks in the nation’s growing space sector.
In a meeting with technology CEOs and executives in February, President Xi stressed the importance of fostering a competitive private sector to drive growth and innovation, an approach that is now being applied to the space industry.
China expands global space influence
China is already making moves to compete for international satellite launch contracts. In November 2023, a state-owned Chinese company successfully launched a satellite for Oman, signaling the country’s intent to expand its global space presence.
To rival SpaceX’s Starlink internet network, China has developed two satellite internet projects—Guowang and Thousand Sails. These initiatives aim to create a competitive alternative to Musk’s growing satellite empire.
Meanwhile, SpaceX continues to dominate. Last week, it became Elon Musk’s most valuable asset, surpassing Tesla as the latter’s stock declined. Additionally, SpaceX’s Dragon capsule recently completed a successful mission, bringing NASA astronauts back to Earth after an extended stay on the International Space Station.
China’s private space firms are making significant strides, but with SpaceX constantly advancing its technology, it remains to be seen whether China can truly rival Musk’s space empire by 2030.
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