China's Launch Industry
How large is China's launch industry, how is it organised, and how close is it to reusable rockets?
Chapter summary
China conducted 92 launch attempts in 2025, second only to the United States, and 72 in 2026 to mid-October.
Key takeaways
- 1
About three-quarters were state Long March rockets and a quarter came from a fast-growing set of commercial companies.
- 2
China's launch demand is driven by two state-backed megaconstellations, Guowang and Qianfan, which plan more than 10,000 satellites each but had fewer than 500 in orbit between them in October 2026.
- 3
China is the only country other than the United States where a company has landed an orbital booster: LandSpace recovered a Zhuque-3 first stage at sea in July 2026 and on land in August 2026.
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Rocket Lab: The Economics of the Second Launch Company
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