Overview

• Xingji Guihang is approximately 100 meters long with a 40×60 meter deck; its 17,000-ton displacement plus a DP2 positioning system enable rocket recovery in Sea State 4 or navigation in Sea State 5.
• The ship, built by iSpace, makes China the second nation ever to operate a dedicated sea-based rocket recovery vessel.
• It is undergoing outfitting, integrated mechanical and electrical system tests, followed by sea performance trials prior to its September arrival in Hainan.
• iSpace aims to conduct an orbit-entry and maritime recovery demonstration with its 14-ton-capacity SQX-3 rocket by the end of 2025.
• The firm is also ramping up production of Hyperbola-3 rockets ahead of a planned reuse flight test in 2026.