A photo LinkSpace reusable rocket landing Test done on August 10, 2019.

LinkSpace will continue to draw local support like that of the Mars Society China, who sees the reusable rockets as a necessity for their dream to reach Mars. Ms. Angela TingTing Cui of the Mars Society China Chapter was excited to see the launch. Originations like the Mars Society are helping fuel the new found pride in Chinese Space industry. They are not only supportive of the current efforts and helping bring public attention to the accomplishments, but they are planting the seeds of interest in the next generation of engineers, astronauts and potentially even Mars explorers. The Mars Society China help coordinate education outreach programs and summer camps for youth to become engaged in STEAM activities. (STEAM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) Ms. Cui believes that the excitement is just getting started. She along with 260,000 others have registered to go to Mars via the Mars insight rover, courtesy of NASA. Ms. Cui further explained that the this was a historic day, as everybody is excited about the first online broadcast for Chinese rocket.

Ms. Cui believes that the Mars excitement in China will continue to grow. “I believe 2020 next year the Mars trend will more hot”. Earlier this year, Mars Society President Dr. Robert Zubrin and his wife made a visit to China. During the visit, the Zubrins and Ms. Cui were invited to witness the first un-tethered launch of the LinkSpace test vehicle for the planned reusable micro-satellite launcher. The test occurred in a small sea-side town in China’s Shandong province, LinkSpace team, led by its 26-year-old founder Spencer Hu Zhenyu, successfully tested the rocket untethered. Dr. Zubrin called it “a tour de force, like watching the child Mozart composing a symphony.” explaining the 3000 lbf thrust rocket test in 20 knot winds. With the inspiring efforts of organizations like Mars Society China, ongoing 50th Anniversary of the Apollo Moon Landing and upcoming Mars Launch window with multiple nations launching, the excitement as Ms. Cui explained is sure to continue to grow.

LinkSpace is a Chinese private aerospace company is focused on the R&D and operations of launch vehicles. For now, LinkSpace is making progressive steps in their capabilities in the small satellite commercial space launch market. LinkSpace intends to develop the majority of the rocket in-house. The in-house scope will include the Engine, avionics, structure, Tracking Telemetry & Control systems which are all critically necessary for the company to achieve propulsive takeoff and landings like the one demonstrated by the RLV-T5. LinkSpace intends to offer a turnkey solution for the space industry and be fairly vertically integrated including design, manufacture, test and delivery of the rocket. As an added value proposition to potential customers, Link

space is also offering the manufacture of small satellites. The initial LinkSpace multi-stage reusable rockets should be capable of delivering 200 kg to a 500 km Sun Synchronous Orbit SSO.

LinkSpace realizes that time is of the essence. The American companies have a head start on testing reusable rockets. Companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin were started over ten years ago and are capturing commercial business already. The LinkSpace is planning to get the rocket into space in the near future and start, providing flexible, cost-effective launch services for the growing micro satellite market. LinkSpace is progressively increasing the difficulty and making substantial progress. The next step for LinkSpace is the launch of the RLV-T6 that will be capable of reaching an altitude of up to 150 kilometers.

LinkSpace is one of a growing list of companies that are developing reusable launch vehicles. Overseas in the United States, SpaceX and Blue Origin have both demonstrated successfully the reuse of boosters that have reached space. Space-X already has developed and successfully launched a heavy lift Falcon Heavy rocket comprised of three boosters and recovered 2/3 of the boosters successfully. SpaceX is now developing a new next generation spacecraft, Starship and is currently testing a mockup of the ship for short hover flights, consistent with what it did for the development of the Falcon 9. Blue Origin already successfully launched and recovered sub-orbital New Shepard rocket, but is currently developing a reusable heavy lift rocket, the New Glenn and has had several public agreements for launch services. The USA-New Zealand company RocketLab, has reached orbit already has several commercial contracts and recently announced a plan to recover boosters as well. Firefly Aerospace, the USA-Ukrainian aerospace company, although delayed through some financing difficulties, is also scaling up to begin launch operations in the next few years.

In China, LinkSpace isn’t the only company developing reusable flight technology. There is a myriad of other companies that are also racing to the goal, such as LandSpace, OneSpace, and ispace. Companies like LinkSpace are right to develop reusable technology otherwise they will be not able to compete in the global launch market. The progress that LinkSpace showed with the RLV-T5 is an indicator that China is in the space race and is positioning itself to be a serious contender. LinkSpace is not a company to ignore and has plans to be heavily involved in the future.