China is preparing to launch more than a dozen rockets over the next month, marking a dramatic acceleration in its commercial space program as both state entities and private firms race to deploy low-Earth orbit satellite constellations.
The upcoming launch wave is slated to begin as early as Wednesday, when private firm Orienspace attempts a sea launch of its Gravity-1 Y4 solid-propellant rocket in the waters east of Shanghai. The mission will carry six Dongpo series satellites for the Huantian constellation, signaling the operational transition of the world’s largest solid-fuel rocket into routine commercial service.
The surge comes amid a broader shift in the global space sector, where China accounted for all net growth in worldwide space launches during the first half of 2026. China conducted 44 launches in the first six months of the year, up 26 percent compared to the same period in 2025, placing 223 satellites into orbit. Commercial operations drove the expansion, representing 68 percent of all Chinese launch missions.
Domestic competitors are also moving rapidly to validate reusable rocket technology, which analysts view as critical to lowering launch costs and unlocking mass satellite deployment. Beijing-based LandSpace plans to launch its reusable Zhuque-3 Y2 rocket in late July or early August, following a successful static fire test in late June.
The domestic private sector push follows milestones by China’s state-owned space program. On July 10, a Long March 10B rocket successfully executed a controlled vertical sea recovery of its first stage off the coast of Hainan, marking a key milestone in China’s development of reusable launch vehicles. Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Company recently contracted the construction of two dedicated offshore rocket recovery vessels to support future high-frequency missions.
The surge in launch activity is largely driven by the deployment of China’s primary low-Earth orbit internet projects, including the GW and Thousand Sails megaconstellations. Together, these two networks account for approximately 60 percent of all Chinese satellites placed into orbit in the first half of 2026.
Meanwhile, U.S. commercial giant SpaceX is preparing for a July 23 launch attempt of its massive Starship rocket. The company aborted its 13th test flight on July 17 during pre-ignition due to an engine startup anomaly, prompting a replacement of two Raptor 3 engines prior to the upcoming launch window.
