iSpace reaches low orbit !
– News of August 20, 2019 –
The smallsats market is booming. It attracts the greed of many private space companies on all continents. On July 25, iSpace became the first Chinese private company to reach orbit. Its Hyperbola-1 launcher successfully placed five small payloads in low orbit.
A few weeks later, on August 17, the Jielong-1 launcher did the same feat. It is developed by China Rocket Co., an affiliate company of state-owned CALT. After many failures, Chinese companies are now able to offer at least two launchers dedicated to smallsats. There could be many more in the months and years ahead.
Second attempt for iSpace to put a satellite in orbit
– News of May 28, 2019 –
In a few days, iSpace should try for the first time to put a satellite into orbit thanks to its launcher Hyperbola-1, a feat that no private Chinese company has managed so far. This first low capacity launcher will be dedicated to the Smallsats market. iSpace then wants to develop a much more powerful methane-propelled rocket. Hyperbola-3 will be able to place nearly two tons in low orbit. Maybe that will capture the interest of the CNSA. Hyperbola is able to resume some missions of the Long March 4C. If so far the Chinese space agency has been rather shy about public-private partnerships, its recent failures may lead to a change in policy.
iSpace’s micro-launcher expected to reach Earth’s orbit in 2019
– News of January 11, 2019 –
iSpace (星际荣耀) was created in 2016. The Chinese company is working on a solid-propelled micro-launcher project that is expected to reach Earth’s orbit for the first time in 2019. iSpace will then move to liquid propulsion with a more imposing launcher named Hyperbola-3.
The Chinese start-up launched a first suborbital rocket in September 2018. Two days after the launch, the Chinese company OneSpace proceeded to launch a suborbital rocket named OS-X1. Development should now move towards a micro-launcher and then something more ambitious. In the longer term, the company dreams of launching manned flights.
Logo by iSpace
