Jiangsu Deep Blue Aerospace

Established in November 2016 by founder Huo Liang, Jiangsu Deep Blue Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd. is a commercial space enterprise concentrated on reducing the cost of accessing space. The company’s core business involves the research, development, and production of reusable liquid-fueled launch vehicles, as well as providing commercial launch services. Deep Blue Aerospace serves a client base that will include satellite companies and, in the future, space tourists. Its business model is centered on offering cost-effective and high-frequency launch solutions, with revenue generated from launch services and eventually suborbital tourism.

The company's primary products are the "Nebula" series of launch vehicles and the "Thunder" series of liquid rocket engines. The Nebula-1 is a medium-class orbital rocket designed for vertical recovery and reuse, powered by the kerolox "Leiting-20" (Thunder-R) engine. A significant portion of the Thunder engine's main structure, over 90%, is manufactured using 3D printing technology, which facilitates rapid production and maintenance. The company is also developing the larger Nebula-2 launch vehicle, designed to lift heavier payloads of more than 25 tons into low Earth orbit. Additionally, a crewed capsule for suborbital space tourism is in development, with commercial flights anticipated to begin in 2027 at a ticket price of approximately $210,000.

Deep Blue Aerospace has achieved several key milestones, demonstrating its technical capabilities. In October 2021, it completed a 100-meter level vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) test. This was followed by a more advanced 1-kilometer VTVL test in May 2022 with the Nebula-M1 test rocket, making it the second company globally, after SpaceX, to complete all low-altitude engineering tests for reusable kerosene-liquid oxygen rockets. The company has secured substantial funding through multiple rounds, including a Series B3 round in August 2024, to advance the commercialization of its Nebula rockets and establish an international headquarters in Xiamen. The inaugural orbital launch of the Nebula-1A is planned for 2025.

Keywords: reusable rockets, commercial launch services, liquid rocket engines, vertical takeoff and vertical landing, VTVL, Nebula-1, Nebula-2, Thunder engine, kerolox engine, 3D printing in aerospace, space tourism, suborbital travel, satellite launch, Huo Liang, Chinese aerospace, launch vehicle development, low Earth orbit, space transportation, rocket propulsion