Imagine a launch pad bobbing on the ocean surface, complete with fueling towers and recovery equipment✨. That’s exactly what’s taking shape at Oriental Spaceport in Haiyang, Yantai, Shandong Province on the Chinese mainland.
The country’s first offshore test platform for liquid-fueled rockets is nearing completion, with commissioning and rehearsal tests set to kick off around February 5. 🌊
Around the Spring Festival in mid-February, a domestically developed commercial liquid-fueled rocket will blast off and attempt its first offshore landing and recovery—marking a historic moment for China’s space industry. 🚀
This year marks the start of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), which for the first time names accelerating the building of a space power as a key national task. Reusable liquid rockets are at the heart of this push, offering bigger payloads and lower costs for satellite constellations.
Oriental Spaceport has already launched 137 satellites from its offshore platforms. So far, 22 missions used solid-fueled rockets—quick to mobilize but lacking recovery and heavier lift. Liquid-fueled rockets promise a new era of reusability and efficiency on the high seas. 🌟
Stay tuned as the countdown to the first offshore liquid-fuel rocket test ticks closer! ⏳
Reference(s):
China's first offshore liquid rocket test platform to begin operations
cgtn.com
