On September 5, a rocket created by the Chinese company iSpace went into space with three miniature satellites. This is another step towards the prosperity of the private space industry of the country.
The SQX-1Z rocket launched from the Jiuquan Startup Center in northwestern China and entered space at a suborbital level. Two satellites will be released into the testing space, and the third will return to the atmosphere and descend by parachute.
This is the first time a private Chinese company has been able to launch satellites into space. In 2016, iSpace stated that they are developing “high-quality, low-cost, and responsive” commercial launchers to serve micro satellite manufacturers, operators, research institutes, and universities in the country and abroad. The space program of China is traditionally controlled by the military, but in recent years a lot of commercial launchers have appeared, modeled on the type of private American enterprises, like SpaceX and Blue Origin.
In May, OneSpace Technologies became the first private Chinese space company to launch a 9-meter OS-X rocket into space for a test flight, which ended in a fall to Earth.
