Inside China’s Private Rocket Boom: LandSpace Emerges as SpaceX’s Fiercest Rival
China’s commercial space sector is undergoing a major shift driven by private innovation, and at the center of this acceleration is LandSpace, a Beijing-based startup rapidly transforming from a domestic newcomer into the world’s most serious challenger to SpaceX. With major funding, groundbreaking engineering milestones, and an ambitious roadmap for reusable launch systems, LandSpace is shifting global perceptions of China’s private aerospace capabilities.
A Decade of Rapid Ascent
Founded in 2015, LandSpace was one of the earliest beneficiaries of China’s decision to open its space industry to private capital. The company quickly attracted heavyweight backing, including HongShan (formerly Sequoia Capital China), Country Garden’s investment arm, the China SME Development Fund, and several provincial governments.
In 2020 alone, LandSpace secured 1.2 billion yuan ($170 million), followed by another 900 million yuan in 2022 from a state-owned fund dedicated to advanced manufacturing. Such strategic support reflects Beijing’s intention to cultivate a competitive commercial launch ecosystem capable of standing alongside global incumbents.
A Historic First: The Methane Breakthrough
LandSpace’s reputation surged in July 2023 when it became the first company in the world to successfully launch a methane–liquid oxygen rocket, the Zhuque-2. This achievement came ahead of well-funded U.S. rivals, including SpaceX and Blue Origin, positioning LandSpace as a global pioneer in a rocket class expected to dominate next-generation orbital launches due to its low cost, clean combustion, and reusability potential.
Zhuque-3: China’s First Serious Attempt at a Large Reusable Rocket
Now, LandSpace is directing its engineering power toward the Zhuque-3, a stainless-steel, vertically landing heavy booster capable of carrying 20–25 tonnes to low-Earth orbit.
If completed and recovered successfully, this would make LandSpace only the third company in history, after SpaceX and Blue Origin, to land a large orbital-class booster with the intention of flying it again.
The Zhuque-3’s success would place China’s private sector far ahead of its state-owned space giants in reusable technology, a rare inversion of the country’s traditional aerospace hierarchy.
Recognized by Rivals – Including SpaceX
LandSpace’s momentum hasn’t gone unnoticed. In October, Elon Musk responded to a post analyzing the Zhuque-3’s design by suggesting that the Chinese launcher may eventually outperform the Falcon 9.
This acknowledgment carries weight: SpaceX relies heavily on Falcon 9’s reuse model for Starlink deployment, a market China aims to compete in by establishing its own large-scale communications and Earth-observation constellations.
A Strategic Tool in China’s Broader Space Ambitions
For Beijing, companies like LandSpace serve a dual purpose:
- Inject speed and innovation into a traditionally state-controlled sector.
- Compete globally for commercial launch contracts while building China’s own satellite super-network.
LandSpace’s emphasis on “airline-style operations”, frequent flights, rapid turnaround, and iterative reuse aligns with China’s goal to build a Starlink-equivalent constellation in the near future.
If executed successfully, the Zhuque-3 could become the backbone of mass satellite deployment, much like the Falcon 9 has for SpaceX.
Racing Toward Routine Reuse and a Public Listing
LandSpace plans to evolve the Zhuque-3 from early recovery tests into regularly reusable operations, enabling a cost curve that could challenge the current global launch economy.
A successful demonstration would significantly bolster the company’s valuation ahead of a planned listing on Shanghai’s STAR Market, disclosed earlier this year.
The Bottom Line
LandSpace is no longer just “China’s answer to SpaceX.” It is shaping up to be the only non-U.S. private company with a realistic shot at competing in reusable orbital flight, one of the most technologically complex and economically consequential sectors in aerospace.
If Zhuque-3 performs as promised, the global launch industry could face the first credible rival to Falcon 9’s long-standing dominance, accelerating competition and reshaping the future of satellite deployment worldwide.
