In a dramatic moment for China’s budding private space industry, a rocket by startup Deep Blue Aerospace failed a vertical landing attempt, captivating audiences worldwide. The Nebula-1 rocket, which is modeled after SpaceX’s reusable Falcon 9, experienced a fiery crash during its test flight, sparking interest and discussions on the future of reusable rockets in China.
Test Flight: Ambitious But Flawed
On Sunday, Deep Blue Aerospace launched its Nebula-1 rocket for a high-altitude recovery test from the Ejin Banner Spaceport in Inner Mongolia. The mission was designed to test the rocket’s ability to ascend and then return to Earth in a controlled vertical landing—a key feature of reusable rockets aimed at reducing spaceflight costs.
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The Nebula-1 rocket, powered by three kerosene-liquid oxygen Thunder-R engines, managed to climb to a height of approximately 5 kilometers (3.1 miles). The company revealed that 10 out of 11 test objectives were successfully completed. However, a critical failure occurred during the final phase when the rocket misjudged its landing altitude. The main engine shut down prematurely, causing the rocket to lose control and crash into the landing pad, erupting into flames. Footage from a drone captured the spectacular and fiery ending of the rocket’s descent, which quickly went viral.
Despite the explosion, Deep Blue Aerospace remained optimistic, declaring the test as “not completely successful,” rather than an outright failure. The company emphasized the significant progress made in key areas, leaving only a small margin for improvement in future flights.
Rocket Reusability
The Nebula-1 rocket, standing 69 feet tall with an 11-foot diameter, is part of China’s growing efforts to replicate the reusable rocket technology pioneered by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The Falcon 9, a leader in the field, has revolutionized space travel with its ability to land vertically and be reused for multiple flights, drastically reducing launch costs.
The Nebula-1 rocket was designed to carry a payload of up to 2,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit, with an upscale version targeting a payload of 8,000 kilograms. Although smaller than SpaceX’s Falcon 9, which can carry 25 metric tons, Nebula-1 marks a significant step for China’s private space industry.
Deep Blue Aerospace is just one of several Chinese companies vying for a slice of the global space economy. Other startups, including iSpace, Galactic Energy, and Space Pioneer, are also working on reusable rockets, hoping to compete with SpaceX in the international space market.
China’s Space Ambitions
China has been ramping up its space exploration goals in recent years. In 2023, the country invested nearly £11.2 billion in its space program. Beijing aims to become the second nation to put humans on the Moon by 2030. China’s space achievements include its Tiangong space station, which was completed in 2022 and has been continuously manned since then.
This latest Nebula-1 test flight, while not entirely successful, shows China’s determination to push forward with its ambitions. Beijing’s push to develop a reusable rocket technology mirrors its long-term goals in space exploration, including establishing a permanent base on the Moon.
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The failed landing of the Nebula-1 rocket is reminiscent of SpaceX’s own early struggles with reusable rocket technology. Elon Musk famously described the explosions during Falcon 9’s test flights as learning experiences. Deep Blue Aerospace seems to share this mindset, with plans already underway to retool the Nebula-1 and conduct another test in November. The goal is to achieve orbital entry and recovery by the end of the year.