China's Rocket Launches Hit Record as Commercial Space Firms Scale Up
China carried out a record 70 rocket launch missions in the first nine months of 2026, up by about 19 percent from a year earlier, as its commercial space industry accelerated mass production, advanced reusable rocket technology and expanded satellite services overseas.
Ten launches took place in September alone. The Pallas-1 rocket made its maiden flight, adding a new model to China's commercial launch fleet, while Zhuque-2E and Gravity-1 became the first privately developed rockets to support the deployment of a low-Earth-orbit satellite internet constellation.
The surge in constellation launches is putting pressure on rocket makers to deliver vehicles faster and at lower cost. On Sept. 20, the Lijian-1 Y18 rocket placed nine satellites into orbit, continuing a launch cadence that has become roughly monthly for the model.
CAS Space, the commercial rocket maker behind Lijian-1, has cut the vehicle's final assembly cycle from three months to about 15 days by reorganizing production.
"We have adopted a pulse-line production model, dividing the final assembly of each rocket among six or seven fixed workstations, with different assembly tasks carried out at each one," said Xiang Zebin, deputy chief designer of the Lijian-1 carrier rocket at CAS Space.
Other commercial rocket companies are also beginning production before orders are finalized, shortening the time between receiving a contract and carrying out a launch. Several are developing multiple rocket models in parallel while building the capacity for batch deliveries.
"As we move from one rocket to 100, we have to think in industrial terms: can we produce rockets at scale while continuing to deliver successful launches? This depends on ensuring consistency from one vehicle to the next," said Bu Xiangwei, chairman of private Chinese launch company Orienspace.
Reusable technology is another focus as companies seek to lower costs and increase launch frequency for large satellite constellations.
On July 10, the Long March-10B completed the world's first recovery of a rocket stage using a net system at sea. On Aug. 19, LandSpace's Zhuque-3 Y2 carried out China's first controlled land recovery of an orbital-class rocket's first stage using landing legs. The two recovered stages are being inspected and refurbished in preparation for future flights.
"Reusing rockets multiple times can significantly reduce overall launch costs. I believe that within five to 10 years, we will be able to match international benchmarks for launch costs per kilogram," said Wang Xinyan, general manager of supply chain management at private rocket developer LandSpace.
China's commercial satellite companies are also looking overseas as domestic launch capacity expands. GalaxySpace's Lingzhi-09 Thai CubeSat was launched in August, marking the first time a Chinese commercial space company had completed satellite development, launch and in-orbit delivery for a Southeast Asian country.
"This demonstrates that our satellite products, end-to-end satellite solutions and service capabilities are ready for overseas markets. Over the next three to five years, we aim to build a well-developed network of resources and deliver successful projects in Belt and Road partner countries, particularly across ASEAN," said Huang Heping, general manager of international business development at commercial satellite maker GalaxySpace.
China's first-nine-month launch total was 11 higher than the 59 recorded in the same period last year. The rise reflects a broader shift from individual satellite missions toward constellation deployment, batch launches and a more diverse range of space-based services.
"The string of successful launches across multiple rocket types shows that both state-backed developers and private companies have reached a high level of technological maturity. Rocketry's advanced technologies are also helping drive upgrades in related products and manufacturing," said Yang Yuguang, chairman of the Space Transportation Committee of the International Astronautical Federation.
Duration: 2 minutes, 34 seconds
Release Date: Oct. 4, 2026
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