Why Musk's SpaceX should worry about China's upcoming rocket launchpad
What's the story
China is developing a revolutionary rocket launch system to end SpaceX's dominance in space exploration.
The project, led by private aerospace company Galactic Energy, involves an electromagnetic force-powered system to launch satellites into orbit at an unprecedented speed and efficiency.
The plan is to deploy the world's first electromagnetic rocket launchpad by 2028, which could drastically change the global space industry.
Tech details
The tech behind the launchpad
The ambitious project is being developed with state-backed research institutes in Sichuan province, southwestern China.
The system uses superconducting magnets to silently accelerate rockets to supersonic speeds before ignition, much like launching a maglev train vertically.
According to Sichuan Radio and Television, the government in Sichuan and China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) are testing the country's first electromagnetic launch verification platform with plans for a three-year timeline for its debut.
Benefits
Advantages of electromagnetic rocket launchpad
The new platform will accelerate rockets to speeds beyond Mach 1, as they burn most fuel at the start of a flight.
This technology promises a future where launches might become as routine as high-speed rail departures.
Li Ping, President of the Ziyang Commercial Space Launch Technology Research Institute, said this tech could double payload capacity and reduce launch costs significantly.
The launch track would also require less maintenance than traditional ones, enabling more frequent launches.
Profile
A brief history of Galactic Energy
Galactic Energy was founded in 2018 and has conducted 18 successful launches.
Till date, it has deployed 77 satellites, which is higher than any other private space firm in China.
It launched six weather satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit on March 21, using a Ceres-1 rocket which took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre.