Commercial rockets: How far has "core stage recovery" progressed?

The launch schedule of domestic private commercial rockets continues to be updated.

Exclusive information obtained by a reporter from Science and Technology Innovation Board Daily reveals that the "Gravity-2", a medium-to-large liquid recoverable launch vehicle independently developed by Dongfang Space, a leading domestic commercial space rocket enterprise, is expected to complete its maiden flight in mid-2026.

In addition, Dongfang Space confirmed to the reporter from Science and Technology Innovation Board Daily that this rocket, which is designed to meet the large-scale networking needs of medium-to-large satellites and commercial high-orbit launch requirements, is equipped with an innovative core stage recovery design.

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The so-called "core stage recovery" is not a brand-new concept. In the engineering context of launch vehicles, it usually refers to the design of returning and reusing the first stage of the rocket - the core stage that bears the main thrust, structural load, and fuel consumption.

In China, some commercial space companies have previously attempted to conduct actual flight verification of this technology path. For example, Landspace's Zhuque-3 liquid oxygen methane rocket has carried out a real-flight test of the first-stage recovery process during its maiden flight mission. Although successful recovery has not been achieved yet, relevant engineering verification has been initiated.

On this basis, Dongfang Space's decision to introduce core stage recovery design in its medium-to-large liquid launch vehicle, the "Gravity-2", holds significance on two fronts: Firstly, it represents a crucial technological upgrade for the company as it transitions from the solid rocket system to the liquid and reusable rocket system. Secondly, it also indicates that the domestic commercial space industry is beginning to explore whether core stage recovery has feasible engineering and cost value under the requirements of greater payload capacity and more complex missions.

It is understood that the core stage recovery technology of the "Gravity-2" is not a simple replication but a customized innovation based on the needs of the commercial space industry. Firstly, in terms of structural reuse strength, by using lightweight and high-strength alloy materials and modular design, the rocket body can be reused no less than 30 times. Secondly, in terms of rapid turnaround capability, relying on the pulse final assembly line at the production base in Tai'an, Shandong, and remote distributed total testing technology, the recovered core stage can be quickly inspected and maintained within 48 hours and then be ready for another launch, supporting the high-density launch requirement of "one rocket per week".

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Why is core stage recovery so important? In the past two years, with the large-scale networking of low-orbit communication satellite constellations, the demand for batch satellite launches has become urgent. Reusable rockets are more suitable for this high-density launch scenario.

In terms of cost, the engine and rocket body structure account for the majority of the cost in rocket manufacturing. Recovery and reuse can significantly reduce the cost of a single launch. SpaceX's practice has proven that through recovery and reuse, the cost of each launch of the Falcon 9 rocket has been reduced by approximately 20 - 30%.

In the international arena, SpaceX is the front-runner in this field. Its Falcon 9 rocket has achieved over 200 recoveries and over 180 reuse flights, turning recovery from an "experiment" into a "routine operation". Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital rocket has also achieved multiple successful recoveries, and its New Glenn orbital rocket is also targeting recovery and reuse. In addition, Europe, Russia, India, etc. are also advancing relevant plans.

China is accelerating its pursuit in the field of reusable rockets.

Among the "national teams", both the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation have initiated the development of reusable launch vehicles and announced some model plans.

Among commercial space companies, in addition to Dongfang Space, Chinese commercial rocket companies such as Landspace and GalaxySpace have also listed reusable rockets as key research and development directions, forming a pattern where both the "national team" and the "private team" are jointly promoting the development.

At the 2026 Beijing International Commercial Space Forum, Li Jun, the chief engineer of GalaxySpace, revealed that GalaxySpace's liquid recovery rocket, the Pallas-2, is expected to make its maiden flight in 2026. The Pallas-2 is a large modular reusable liquid launch vehicle with a diameter of 4.5 meters, including two configurations: the basic type and the CBC type. The basic type has a takeoff mass of approximately 757 tons, a takeoff thrust of approximately 910 tons, and a LEO payload capacity of 20 tons. The CBC configuration has a takeoff mass of approximately 1950 tons, a takeoff thrust of approximately 2730 tons, and a LEO payload capacity of 58 tons.

However, core stage recovery is not without challenges. An engineer in the commercial space field analyzed to the reporter from Science and Technology Innovation Board Daily that in terms of technical reliability, rocket recovery places extremely high requirements on guidance and control, engine thrust adjustment, and structural strength. The cost of inspection, maintenance, and refurbishment after recovery needs to be strictly controlled to achieve real "cost-effectiveness". Some high-value payload customers still have doubts about the safety of reusable rockets, and it will take time and successful records to build trust.

From an overall industry perspective, there is a growing divergence among domestic commercial space enterprises in their understanding of "core stage recovery".

Some manufacturers view core stage recovery more as a prerequisite for supporting high-frequency low-earth orbit launches, with the core objective of improving turnaround efficiency and reducing the marginal cost of a single launch. Other manufacturers are more concerned about whether the recovery mechanism still has economic significance in the context of greater payload capacity and more complex mission scenarios.

The "Gravity-2" represents the latter approach. For Dongfang Space, the core stage recovery of the "Gravity-2" is more like a crucial step in filling a key capability gap during the product's generational leap. It not only signifies the company's entry into the deep end of the technology pool of liquid reusable launch vehicles from the solid rocket system but also determines whether it can form a sustainable competitive combination in terms of payload capacity, cost structure, and mission adaptability in the medium-to-large commercial launch market in the future.

This article is from the WeChat official account "Caixin Press". Author: Li Mingming. Republished by 36Kr with permission.