tech
Oh look, yet another Starship clone has popped up in China
Chinese companies are no longer hiding their intent to clone SpaceX. They’re advertising it.
TL;DR
- Chinese launch companies initially copied SpaceX's Falcon 9 design.
- A recent shift shows a trend towards adopting SpaceX's Starship design for fully reusable rockets.
- The Chinese government's Long March 9 and companies like Cosmoleap, Astronstone, and Beijing Leading Rocket Technology are pursuing Starship-like vehicles.
- Some companies are explicitly aligning their technical approaches with SpaceX.
- Many startups may not succeed, mirroring a similar phase in the US commercial launch industry.
- The feasibility of scaling Starship designs downwards remains an open question.