A Recap of 2020 in Chinese Space (in 10 Points)

2020 is coming to an end, and how unusual it has been, to say the least. This year has been an extremely eventful one for Chinese space, with many “firsts”, some major successes, as well as some failures. In this blog post, I do the useful exercise of looking retrospectively at 2020, and picking the most significant events. Without any further ado, let’s begin. 1 … Continue reading A Recap of 2020 in Chinese Space (in 10 Points)

Impressions on the 2019 edition of China Space Day, in Changsha

This blog post inaugurates a more personal article series, that will give an account of my trips and visits in China (exhibitions, rocket launches, visits…). Do let me know what you think in the comments or by private message. This weekend marks the closure of the events surrounding the 4th edition of China Space Day, which took place in Changsha from the 22nd to the … Continue reading Impressions on the 2019 edition of China Space Day, in Changsha

The Technical Choices of China’s NewSpace Launcher Companies in 2019

This article looks at the technical choices of Chinese NewSpace startups regarding propulsion technology and expendability/reusability, and what this reveals of their understanding of the commercial launch market. At the time of writing, we are entering the 5th year of China’s “Open Up Policy” in the space industry, which has enabled private capital to flow into space companies and triggered the emergence of a large … Continue reading The Technical Choices of China’s NewSpace Launcher Companies in 2019

Interview with Essential Capital (元航资本) on the Perspectives of Commercial Space in China

Essential Capital (a.k.a 元航资本 in Chinese) is a Chinese VC firm founded in 2015 and based in Beijing. Essential Capital considers itself an early-middle stage investor, with a major focus on “hard tech”.  As an early mover within the VC world into the burgeoning Chinese space industry, the company’s founders gave some interesting insights on the topic in an interview to the Chinese media Iyiyou … Continue reading Interview with Essential Capital (元航资本) on the Perspectives of Commercial Space in China