"Chuan Yue Zhe" focuses on reusable commercial manned spacecraft and has received a 30 million yuan angel round financing from QF Capital. | HardcoreTech First Release

Author | Huang Nan

Editor | Yuan Silai

HardcoreKr has learned that Beijing Transcender Manned Space Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Transcender") recently completed a 30 million yuan angel round of financing. This round is exclusively invested by Qifu Capital, which is also the largest single angel round investment within this year.

The financing funds will be used for the production of the escape structure ship (CYZ1 - 00) of the Transcender - 1 (CYZ1) suborbital manned spacecraft. It is planned to establish the first commercial environmental control and life support manned test base, complete the zero - altitude escape flight test, and verify the new escape and new parachute landing design of the Transcender - 1 (CYZ1) suborbital manned spacecraft, as well as the stability of the reusable structure and other core key technologies related to passenger safety.

"Transcender" was established in January 2023. It is the first commercial "manned space technology" limited company in China, focusing on the development of reusable manned spacecraft and space tourism operations. The company is committed to creating China's "Dragon" spacecraft to achieve low - cost delivery of people and goods for the country and businesses. It plans to complete the development of a suborbital reusable commercial manned spacecraft in the first 3 to 4 years, and to realize space tourism in China and even Asia in 2028.

Since 2015, China's commercial aerospace has entered a stage of vigorous development, catching up with international advanced levels. According to the development path of satellites, rockets, and spacecraft, at present, whether it is Starlink or Falcon 9, there are a large number of directly targeted companies in China, but the "Dragon" spacecraft is still in the making.

The "Dragon" spacecraft has been undertaking various manned space exploration tasks for the country and businesses since 2020. Its reusability and commercial nature have greatly reduced the cost of human space travel and accelerated the process of the American public entering space. In the field of suborbital space tourism, Blue Origin has sent 47 ordinary people into space, and Virgin Galactic has nearly 1,000 reservations, achieving regular operation of space tourism.

According to data from institutions such as Grand View Research, the Asia - Pacific region is the market with the most rapid growth in the space tourism market. The Chinese space tourism market occupies the largest share in the Asia - Pacific market, with a projected compound annual growth rate of 45.1% from 2024 to 2030. Among them, high - net - worth income groups, as one of the main driving forces for growth, have a strong willingness to try new things and payment ability, presenting huge market potential.

As a landmark "domestic substitution" project, the manned spacecraft is the only to C industrial direction in the commercial aerospace track, bringing a trillion - level market increment space. It is considered to be another new engine and new business form of the space economy after satellites and rockets, which can provide a huge imagination space for the local economy and industrial agglomeration, and is an important strategic direction to realize the space economy. At present, China has successively issued relevant policies to encourage the cultivation and development of space tourism.

Transcender - 1 (CYZ1) Suborbital Manned Spacecraft

The threshold for manned spaceflight is extremely high. Based on the country's more than 30 years of 100% successful manned space engineering system, "Transcender" has formed the only comprehensive team in China with the ability to conduct all - round, full - process research, development, and operation of commercial manned spaceflight.

The research and development process of a manned spacecraft can be roughly divided into the scheme stage, the initial sample stage, and the formal sample stage. After more than one year of scheme demonstration by the "Transcender" research and development team, the overall configuration of the suborbital manned spacecraft, the escape system, the aerodynamic shape, the flight trajectory, the sealed cabin structure of the return module, the escape module structure, the recovery system, the flight control, the high - pressure cold gas propulsion system, the integrated electronics, the environmental control and life support, and the human factors engineering design have been demonstrated. In addition, in conjunction with the leading domestic rocket companies, the scheme of the suborbital flight launch vehicle and the launch / recovery site have been demonstrated. 

Through innovative spacecraft configuration design and reusable design of key systems such as escape, structure, and recovery, the core technologies such as the fully reusable technology of the suborbital manned spacecraft, the push - type escape and Lifesaving technology, the high - precision and high - comfort re - entry and non - destructive landing and recovery technology, the environmental control and life support and complex human factors engineering technology have been determined. Transcender - 1 (CYZ1), as the first suborbital reusable commercial manned spacecraft in China, is the first manned spacecraft in China to adopt the advanced push - type escape technology, and will also be the world's first blunt - body manned spacecraft with meter - level high - precision return and non - destructive landing and recovery.

The feasibility study report of the technical scheme of the Transcender - 1 (CYZ1) suborbital reusable manned spacecraft has passed the review of academicians and experts in the domestic manned space field, and many technical achievements have been selected for the 2024 China Manned Space Academic Conference. It is reported that the first type of spacecraft (CYZ1 - 00) is about to go into production and is planned to officially enter the engineering research and development stage in December.

The aerodynamic shape optimization design of the return module of Transcender - 1 (CYZ1) based on the high - order non - linear curve cluster

The reusable escape system scheme of the Transcender - 1 (CYZ1) suborbital manned spacecraft

HardcoreKr has learned that "Transcender" has formulated a "three - step" development route. In the first stage, within 3 to 4 years, the Transcender - 1 (CYZ1), a suborbital reusable commercial manned spacecraft, will be realized, opening a new era of low - cost and regular access to space for ordinary people and commercial payloads.

In the second stage, it is planned to launch the Transcender - 2 (CYZ2), a near - Earth orbit reusable commercial manned spacecraft, within 6 to 10 years, and to achieve rendezvous and docking of the target spacecraft and point - to - point transportation, which will be applied to the construction of space hotels and intercontinental rapid transportation, subverting the long - distance travel transportation mode.

In the third stage, within 12 to 15 years, the Transcender - 3 (CYZ3), a reusable commercial manned spacecraft for deep space exploration, will be realized to carry out commercial manned lunar landing trips and build a lunar economic circle.

The first space tourism ticket of "Transcender" was sold in November 2023 at a price of 3 million yuan, with a 10% reservation fee. Currently, nearly 10 tickets have been pre - sold, and customers are from all over the world.

At the same time, the company also plans to establish a space tourist club community and build a series of ground experience projects, including aerospace health care and aerospace training, to create the "Disney" of the aerospace industry.

The founder and CEO of "Transcender", Lei Shiqing, graduated with a master's degree from Renmin University of China, specializing in the human factors engineering of manned spaceflight. He has a deep understanding and research on commercial manned spaceflight. At the same time, during his 6 years of working at CCTV's Chinese International Channel, he has accumulated rich experience and resources in international communication and global brand building.

Investor's Perspective:

Fu Zhekuan, Chairman of Qifu Capital said that the commercial spacecraft is the future industry, with broad development prospects in the fields of manned spaceflight, space cargo, space tourism, as well as ground cultural tourism, health care and other industrial fields. It is one of the few commercial aerospace industries that can be realized through TO C. Currently, Transcender is the only private commercial aerospace enterprise in the field of commercial spacecraft with a professional manned spacecraft solution. The team is composed of a professional manned spacecraft technology team and a cultural tourism team. It is a compound and excellent team. The founder, Mr. Lei's business ability, execution ability and learning ability are also impressive. He is one of the excellent founders.