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Tianlong-2
Two-stage kerosene-liquid oxygen orbital rocket; the first privately developed Chinese liquid-propellant rocket to reach orbit.
Space Pioneer (Beijing Tianbing Technology), founded in 2019 by former LandSpace CTO Kang Yonglai, develops kerosene-liquid oxygen rockets and engines from a Fengtai, Beijing campus.
Latest update Sep 8, 2026
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Overview
Its Tianlong-2 became the first privately developed Chinese liquid-propellant rocket to reach orbit (April 2023). The flagship reusable Tianlong-3 failed on its April 3, 2026 maiden flight from Jiuquan's Dongfeng commercial zone about 33 seconds after liftoff, losing the Hangsheng-8 / TW-4 Xiyou satellite. As of early September 2026 the company has published no closed 'zeroing' investigation and no return-to-flight date; a second vehicle is still only reported as being prepared for a possible attempt before year-end. Official product specs now list Tianlong-3 at 72 m tall, 3.8 m diameter, 600 t liftoff mass, 855 t thrust, 17-22 t to LEO and 10-17 t to 500 km SSO, with nine TH-12 first-stage engines, a TH-12V second stage, a TH-32 upper stage, and at least 20 planned first-stage reuses. The site also advertises a heavier TL-3H strap-on variant (68 t to LEO) and a TL-3M crewed concept that has not flown. Space Pioneer has raised roughly $764M. A December 2025 Shanghai Stock Exchange rule now requires a successful orbital insertion on a medium-to-large reusable vehicle before a commercial-rocket STAR Market listing; Payload reported in early September 2026 that Space Pioneer filed for IPO counselling in 2025 and remains there after the April failure, while LandSpace, CAS Space, and Galactic Energy have moved further on the pad.
payloadspace.comUpdated Sep 8, 2026
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What's next4
2026
Tianlong-3 return to flight
Close the 'zeroing' fault investigation into the April 3, 2026 engine-bay failure and fly a second Tianlong-3. As of early September 2026 no public close-out or dated attempt has been issued; a second vehicle is still only reported as being prepared for a possible try before the end of 2026.
2026-2027
Demonstrate first-stage recovery and reuse
After a successful return to orbit, recover and refly the Tianlong-3 first stage. Official specs now list at least 20 planned first-stage reuses; no recovery was attempted on the April 2026 failure.
2027+
Scale launch cadence for constellations
Ramp Tianlong-3 production and flight rate to serve China's national satellite-internet mega-constellation deployment. That cadence is gated on first closing the April failure investigation and flying again.
TBD
List on Shanghai STAR Market (IPO)
TargetTBD (blocked until a successful reusable-class orbital flight)
A December 2025 SSE guideline now requires commercial-rocket applicants to show a successful orbital insertion on a medium-to-large reusable vehicle. Payload reported in early September 2026 that Space Pioneer filed for IPO counselling in 2025 and remains there after the April failure, with no listing date set.
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Products2
In DevelopmentTianlong-3
Two-stage kerolox rocket with a reusable first stage, designed as a Falcon 9-class vehicle for China's satellite-internet constellations. Official specs: 72 m tall, 3.8 m diameter, 600 t liftoff mass, 855 t thrust, nine TH-12 first-stage engines, one TH-12V second-stage engine, and a TH-32 upper stage. The company also lists a heavier TL-3H strap-on variant (85.2 m, 68 t to LEO) that has not flown.
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Key metrics
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Operations & revenue
Operating status
Development Stage
Tianlong-2 has flown one successful orbital mission (2023). The flagship reusable Tianlong-3 failed on its April 3, 2026 maiden flight from Jiuquan after an engine-bay anomaly about 33 seconds into flight, losing Hangsheng-8. As of early September 2026 the company has not published a closed 'zeroing' investigation or a dated return-to-flight attempt; a second vehicle is still only reported as being prepared for a possible try before year-end. Official product specs now list 72 m height, 855 t liftoff thrust, 17-22 t to LEO, and at least 20 planned first-stage reuses. A December 2025 SSE guideline requires a successful orbital insertion on a medium-to-large reusable rocket before a commercial-launcher STAR Market listing; Payload reported in early September that Space Pioneer remains in the 2025 IPO-counselling queue while peers that reached orbit or landed a booster have moved ahead.
Revenue streams
Small-to-medium kerolox orbital launches for Chinese commercial and research satellite customers.
Tianlong-3 Reusable Launch Services
Planned high-cadence, low-cost reusable launches sized for China's satellite-internet mega-constellations, pending return-to-flight after the April 2026 maiden failure. Official page now quotes 17-22 t to LEO.
Development and production of the Tianhuo (TH) series of kerolox engines, including the TH-11, the 100 tonne-force-class TH-12 first-stage engine, the TH-12V second-stage engine, and the TH-32 upper-stage engine listed on the official Tianlong-3 page.
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Timeline6
2026
STAR Market listing stays blocked after the Tianlong-3 failure
A December 2025 Shanghai Stock Exchange guideline requires commercial-rocket STAR Market applicants to show a successful orbital insertion on a medium-to-large reusable vehicle. Payload reported in early September 2026 that Space Pioneer filed for IPO counselling in 2025 and remains there after the April failure, while LandSpace (Zhuque-3 landing), CAS Space (Kinetica-2 orbit), and Galactic Energy (Pallas-1 orbit on September 1) have advanced further on that pad-to-prospectus path.
Tianlong-3 maiden flight fails
On April 3, 2026, Tianlong-3 lifts off from the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Test Zone at Jiuquan at 12:17 Beijing time. An engine-bay anomaly about 33 seconds after liftoff ends the mission, losing the Hangsheng-8 satellite (also named TW-4 Xiyou by Xiamen Tianwei Technology and Xi'an University of Posts). Space Pioneer opened a formal 'zeroing' fault investigation. As of early September 2026 no public close-out or return-to-flight date has been issued.
2025
2024
2023
2019
07
Funding
$973Mdisclosed across 3 rounds with a stated amount
Cumulative disclosed raise · dated rounds
