OneSpace
OneSpace or One Space Technology Group is a Chinese private space launch group based in Beijing, with subsidiaries in Chongqing, Shenzhen and Xi'an. OneSpace was founded in 2015. It is led by CEO Shu Chang, and is targeting the small launcher market for microsatellites and nanosatellites. OneSpace launched China's first private rocket in 2018.
The company unveiled its family of rockets early in 2019. At least 10 such firms have emerged since the Chinese government policy shift in late 2014 to allow private companies into the launch and small satellite sectors.
Facilities
OneSpace's headquarters and R&D center are located in Beijing. Its research and development center, and manufacturing and assembly base, are located in Chongqing. Its rocket engine testing facility is located in Jiangxi Province and Shanxi Province.Rockets
OS-X series – suborbital
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.OS-X0
The OS-X0 is a long suborbital high-altitude rocket. It uses solid propellant and is designed to carry payloads up to, reaching space. Its first flight was on 17 May 2018, reaching an altitude of. The rocket is built completely from homegrown Chinese technology. Its launch represents one of the first rockets designed by a private company launched in China. 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.OS-X1
The OS-X1 is a suborbital high-altitude rocket, a sounding rocket, designed for research and testing. The solid rocket motor was successfully tested in December 2017. This 9-meter long rocket was launched at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on 7 September 2018, reaching an altitude of 35 km and traveling 169 km.OS-X6B
The '''OS-X6B is a long suborbital high-altitude rocket. It is designed to send payloads up to 300 km with an estimated flight time of 10 minutes. The maiden flight of this rocket took place on 5 February 2021. The flight was successful.OS-M series - orbital
The OS-M series of rockets are larger than the OS-X series and aim to provide low cost flights to LEO and SSO.OS-M
The OS-M is a light-launch satellite launch vehicle rocketing payloads to low Earth orbit and Sun synchronous orbit. It is projected to be capable of lifting to high LEO; and to high SSO.As of December 2018, the tests completed for OS-M are:
- 2018/July/4: First-stage main rocket motor test.
- 2018/August/24: Three-stage solid-state propellant and the second and third stage separation system test.
- 2018/October/23: Fourth-stage engine and the third and fourth stage separation system test
- 2018/November/26 through Nov/30: Attitude control system mechanical environment test.
- 2018 December: Completed the OS-M attitude control system hot fire test.
OS-M1
OS-M1 or just OS-M,, is a 4-stage solid fuel orbital rocket that is 19-meters long, 1.2 meters in diameter and weighs 21-tons. It is designed to lift about 112 kilograms into a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit.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 took place at 09:39 UTC. After the first-stage separation, OS-M's attitude was unstable and the launch failed. 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.
Reportedly OS-M1 uses demilitarized solid rocket motors from retired military missiles.
OS-M2
The OS-M2 is similar to the OS-M1, but has two boosters. Block A will be capable of lifting to LEO and to SSO, while block B will be capable of lifting to LEO and to SEO.OS-M4
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.Future OS-M rockets
The firm is anticipating making future entries in the OS-M series of rockets in some way reusable.OneSpace is developing a 59-ton rocket, that was originally scheduled for launch in 2018. It is to have a payload to LEO. This is projected to cost RMB 100,000 CNY/kg OneSpace also envisions to eventually develop a crewed space capsule.
Launches
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.