Chinese rocket firm Space Pioneer has secured C-round funding for its Tianlong-3 medium-lift reusable launch vehicle. The company has now raised a total of three billion Chinese yuan ($414 million) across 11 rounds since its establishment in 2018.
The new funds will be used for the development of the Tianlong-3 kerosene-liquid oxygen launch vehicle and its engine, as well as the construction of a dedicated launch complex at the Jiuquan national spaceport. The first launch of the Tianlong-3 rocket is currently scheduled for May 2024.
Tianlong-3 is a two-stage kerosene-liquid oxygen rocket with a reusable first stage. It will have a takeoff mass of 590 tonnes and produce 770 tonnes of thrust. The 71-meter-long Tianlong-3 will have a diameter of 3.8 meters.
The Tianlong-3 is tailor-made for launching satellites for China's national communications megaconstellation. Space Pioneer says it has already signed 10 orders for launches on the Tianlong-2.
The company also has plans for a Tianlong-3H, a triple-core version in the same style as the SpaceX Falcon Heavy, and a Tianlong-3M, a single-core rocket tipped with a reusable spaceplane.
Space Pioneer initially started out developing engines burning green monopropellant before changing directions. The firm also apparently scrapped development of the Tianlong-1 rocket.
The firm has received sponsorship and investment from Zhangjiagang, a city in Jiangsu province on the Yangtze River. Space Pioneer is building rocket manufacturing facilities in the city, and the Tianlong-2 launch also bore the name “Zhangjiagang.”
This funding is a major boost for Space Pioneer as it looks to compete with other Chinese commercial launch companies, such as OrienSpace. The Tianlong-3 is a significant step up from the company's previous rockets, and its reusable design could make it a more cost-effective option for customers.
Space Pioneer is also well-positioned to benefit from the growing demand for satellite launches in China. The country is planning to launch a massive constellation of communications satellites, and Space Pioneer could be a major player in this market.
The company's plans for a triple-core rocket and a reusable space plane are also ambitious, but they could make Space Pioneer a major player in the global launch market in the years to come.