First Chinese Test of a Reusable Rocket That Could Compete with SpaceX, the Video

On May 29, China successfully completed the first controlled launch and landing on water of its experimental reusable spacecraft, the Yuanxingzhe-1 rocket, developed by the private company Jianyuan Technology. The launch took place from the Haiyang Spaceport in Shandong Province. The rocket, powered by methane and liquid oxygen, performed a test that included engine ignition, liftoff, full-power ascent, thrust adjustment, shutdown, free descent with glide, engine ignition for hovering, and soft landing in the sea.

The rocket has a diameter of 4.2 meters, a height of 26.8 meters and a takeoff weight of 57 tons. During the test, it reached an altitude of 2.5 km in a flight of 125 seconds. Designed to be reused up to 20 times, it will be able to carry 6.5 tons of cargo, such as small satellites, into sun-synchronous orbit in the future.

Comparison between China's Yuanxingzhe-1 rocket and SpaceX's Falcon 9: A technological challenge in the space sector

The recent success of China's Yuanxingzhe-1 rocket marked a significant step for the Chinese space industry, with the first soft landing of a reusable experimental vehicle on water. This rocket, which represents a new frontier for China in the field of reusable launch vehicles, inevitably invites comparisons with SpaceX's well-established Falcon 9, the rocket that has redefined global standards for reusability and access to space.

The Yuanxingzhe-1, 26.8 meters tall with a diameter of 4.2 meters and a takeoff weight of 57 tons, is designed to be reused up to 20 times. In its test on May 29, 2025, conducted from the Haiyang spaceport in Shandong province, it reached an altitude of 2.5 kilometers in a suborbital flight lasting 125 seconds, demonstrating the ability to take off, adjust thrust, descent and land in the sea. Powered by methane and liquid oxygen, a combination known as "methalox", the rocket stands out for its use of stainless steel, which ensures thermal resistance and low production costs. Designed to carry up to 6.5 tons into sun-synchronous orbit, the Yuanxingzhe-1 is still in the experimental stage, but its development suggests ambitions to compete in the orbital launch market, particularly for small satellites.

On the other hand, SpaceX’s Falcon 9, in operation since 2010, represents the benchmark for reusable rockets. Standing 70 meters tall, with a diameter of 3.7 meters and a liftoff weight of about 549 tons, this two-stage rocket uses RP-1 kerosene and liquid oxygen as propellants. Its first stage, equipped with nine Merlin 1D engines, has been successfully recovered on 441 missions as of June 4, 2025, with some boosters reused up to 28 times. Capable of carrying up to 22.8 tons to low Earth orbit and 8.3 tons to geostationary transfer orbit, the Falcon 9 has demonstrated unprecedented reliability, supporting crewed missions to the International Space Station and launches of heavy satellites, such as those for national security. Its recovery technology, which includes landing on ground platforms and drone ships, is now well established.

From a propulsion perspective, the Yuanxingzhe-1 takes advantage of methane, which offers greater efficiency and easier reusability compared to the Falcon 9’s kerosene. However, SpaceX’s Merlin engines, with their high thrust-to-weight ratio, ensure superior performance on complex orbital missions. While the Chinese rocket is limited to suborbital tests, the Falcon 9 has already accumulated over 482 successful launches, setting records such as launching 143 satellites in a single mission in 2021.

In terms of versatility, the Falcon 9 dominates with its ability to support a wide range of missions, while the Yuanxingzhe-1 focuses on lighter payloads and specific orbits. However, the Chinese rocket, still in development, shows an innovative approach that recalls SpaceX's strategies, such as controlled landing and the use of low-cost materials. Although the Yuanxingzhe-1 is far from reaching the technological maturity of the Falcon 9, its success is a sign of the growing dynamism of China's private space industry, which could one day challenge SpaceX's dominance in the reusable launch sector.