OneSpace[1] or One Space Technology Group[3] is a Chinese private space launch group based in Beijing, with subsidiaries in Chongqing, Shenzhen[5] and Xi'an.[6] OneSpace was founded in 2015. It is led by CEO Shu Chang, and is targeting the small launcher market for microsatellites and nanosatellites.[7][8] OneSpace launched China's first private rocket in 2018.[9]
OneSpace's headquarters and R&D center are located in Beijing.[10] Its research and development center, and manufacturing and assembly base, are located in Chongqing.[8][10] Its rocket engine testing facility is located in Jiangxi Province and Shanxi Province.[12][8]
The OS-X series of rockets are suborbital sounding rockets, reaching high altitude or reaching space but not orbit; they are meant for research and development of their launch systems.
The OS-X0 (aka "Chongqing Liangjiang Star") is a 9 m long suborbital high-altitude rocket. It uses solid propellant and is designed to carry payloads up to 100 km, reaching space. Its first flight (suborbital) was on 17 May 2018, reaching an altitude of 40 km.[9][13][14] The rocket is built completely from homegrown Chinese technology.[9] Its launch represents one of the first rockets (see i-Space Hyperbola-1S) designed by a private company launched in China.[15] The development, building and launching of the rocket was achieved with budget less than $78 million. This flight was paid for by the Chinese state owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China.[14]
The OS-X1 (aka "Chongqing Liangjiang Star") is a suborbital high-altitude rocket, a sounding rocket, designed for research and testing.[8] The solid rocket motor was successfully tested in December 2017.[16] This 9-meter long rocket was launched at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on 7 September 2018 (04:10 UTC), reaching an altitude of 35 km and traveling 169 km.[17]
The OS-X6B (aka "Chongqing Liangjiang Star") is a 9.4 m long suborbital high-altitude rocket. It is designed to send payloads up to 300 km (190 mi) with an estimated flight time of 10 minutes. The maiden flight of this rocket took place on 5 February 2021 (09:05 UTC). The flight was successful.[18]
The OS-X0 (aka "Chongqing Liangjiang Star") is a 9 m long suborbital high-altitude rocket. It uses solid propellant and is designed to carry payloads up to 100 km, reaching space. Its first flight (suborbital) was on 17 May 2018, reaching an altitude of 40 km.[9][13][14] The rocket is built completely from homegrown Chinese technology.[9] Its launch represents one of the first rockets (see i-Space Hyperbola-1S) designed by a private company launched in China.[15] The development, building and launching of the rocket was achieved with budget less than $78 million. This flight was paid for by the Chinese state owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China.[14]
The OS-X1 (aka "Chongqing Liangjiang Star") is a suborbital high-altitude rocket, a sounding rocket, designed for research and testing.[8] The solid rocket motor was successfully tested in December 2017.[16] This 9-meter long rocket was launched at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on 7 September 2018 (04:10 UTC), reaching an altitude of 35 km and traveling 169 km.[17]
The OS-X6B (aka "Chongqing Liangjiang Star") is a 9.4 m long suborbital high-altitude rocket. It is designed to send payloads up to 300 km (190 mi) with an estimated flight time of 10 minutes. The maiden flight of this rocket took place on 5 February 2021 (09:05 UTC). The flight was successful.[18]
The OS-M series of rockets are larger than the OS-X series and aim to provide low cost flights to LEO and SSO.[19][20]
The OS-M is a light-launch satellite launch vehicle rocketing payloads to low Earth orbit (LEO) and Sun synchronous orbit (SSO). It is projected to be capable of lifting 205 kg to 300 km high LEO; and 73 kg to 800 km high SSO.[8][19][21]
As of December 2018, the tests completed for OS-M are:
OS-M1 or just OS-M, (also known as Chongqing Liangjiang Star or Chongqing SQX[23] or Chongqing or SQX-1Y1[24]), is a 4-stage solid fuel orbital rocket that is 19-meters long, 1.2 meters in diameter[25] and weighs 21-tons. It is designed to lift about 112 kilograms into a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit.[26]
It was launched for its first orbital mission carrying the Lingque-1B technology verification satellite from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on 27 March 2019. Liftoff from the TLE-2 flat pad (atop a movable platform[27]) took place at 09:39 UTC.[26][28]
The OS-M2 is similar to the OS-M1, but has two boosters. Block A will be capable of lifting 390 kg to LEO and 204 kg to 800 km SSO, while block B will be capable of lifting 505 kg to LEO and 274 kg to 800 km SEO.[32]
The OS-M4 has four boosters. Block A will be capable of lifting 552 kg to LEO and 307 kg to 800 km SSO, while block B will be capable of lifting 748 kg to LEO and 446 kg to 800 km SEO.[33]
The firm is anticipating making future entries in the OS-M series of rockets in some way reusable.[8]
OneSpace is developing a 59-ton rocket,[7] that was originally scheduled for launch in 2018. It is to have a 500 kg payload to LEO. This is projected to cost RMB ¥100,000 CNY/kg ($6500 USD/lb) OneSpace also envisions to eventually develop a crewed space capsule.[34]
Some sub-orbital launches noted in Rockets section above.
Also one orbital attempt with OS-M1 on 27 March 2019. The attempt ended with a 2nd stage failure.
OneSpace is in competition with several other Chinese space rocket startups, being LandSpace, LinkSpace, ExPace,[35] i-Space, Galactic Energy, and Deep Blue Aerospace. Space Pioneer is a Chinese liquid-propellant rocket startup competing in the sector.[36]
OneSpace secured $43.6 million in series B funding in August 2018.[37] The financing was led by CICC Jiatai Equity Fund, followed by FinTrek Capital, with China Merchants Venture Capital, Qianhai Wande Fund and Qianhai Wutong M&A Fund also increasing their investment in the company. This fourth round of financing takes the total raised since the founding of OneSpace in August 2015 to $116 million.
OS-M1 or just OS-M, (also known as Chongqing Liangjiang Star or Chongqing SQX[23] or Chongqing or SQX-1Y1[24]), is a 4-stage solid fuel orbital rocket that is 19-meters long, 1.2 meters in diameter[25] and weighs 21-tons. It is designed to lift about 112 kilograms into a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit.[26]
It was launched for its first orbital mission carrying the Lingque-1B technology verification satellite from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on 27 March 2019. Liftoff from the TLE-2 flat pad (atop a movable platform[27]) took place at 09:39 UTC.[26][28] After the first-stage separation, OS-M's attitude was unstable and the launch failed.[29] A preliminary investigation found a malfunction of the rate gyroscope as cause. In the follow-up, OneSpace team said they will learn from the mistake and optimize the performance of the rocket.[30]
Reportedly OS-M1 uses demilitarized solid rocket motors from retired military missiles.[23][31][26]
The OS-M2 is similar to the OS-M1, but has two boosters. Block A will be capable of lifting 390 kg to LEO and 204 kg to 800 km SSO, while block B will be capable of lifting 505 kg to LEO and 274 kg to 800 km SEO.[32]
The OS-M4 has four boosters. Block A will be capable of lifting 552 kg to LEO and 307 kg to 800 km SSO, while block B will be capable of lifting 748 kg to LEO and 446 kg to 800 km SEO.[33]
The firm is anticipating making future entries in the OS-M series of rockets in some way reusable.[8]
OneSpace is developing a 59-ton rocket,[7] that was originally scheduled for launch in 2018. It is to have a 500 kg payload to LEO. This is projected to cost RMB ¥100,000 CNY/kg ($6500 USD/lb) OneSpace also envisions to eventually develop a crewed space capsule.[34]
