Overview

• Chinese startup Orienspace successfully launched its first rocket, Gravity-1, from a sea-based platform, sending three satellites into orbit.
• The Gravity-1 rocket is touted as the world's most powerful solid-propellant launch vehicle, capable of sending a 6.5 tons payload to low-Earth orbit.
• Orienspace, founded in 2020, is the fifth private Chinese company to have its own carrier rocket, and the rocket is the most powerful to have been developed by a private Chinese company.
• Launching from sea offers several advantages, including a potential boost in the payload, a reduction in range conflicts, and less risk of rocket debris falling on populated areas.
• Orienspace aims to achieve liquid rocket recyclability and reusability within two years, increasing its carrying capacity to 15-20 tonnes and further driving down costs.