Tower-catch ("chopsticks") reusable methalox launch vehicles (Yueqian-1); Qingyu-11 methalox engine
Cosmoleap (Dahang Yueqian) was founded in February 2024 (the business registration shown in 36Kr's company database gives 1 February 2024; Interesting Engineering reported March 2024). Its legal representative and founder is Chen Shuguang, who according to 36Kr's hardware desk (Yingke) previously worked at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The registered entity is Shanghai Dahang Yueqian Space Technology Co., Ltd., registered in the Lingang New Area of Shanghai; an October 2026 IT Home report instead names "Shenzhen Dahang Yueqian Space Technology Co., Ltd." We could not verify how the two relate, so the headquarters city follows the business registration. The company develops medium-to-large reusable liquid launch vehicles and describes its approach as "ground capture plus intelligent control": a "chopsticks" scheme that drops landing legs and has arms on a recovery tower catch the booster. According to a Kuai Keji report in August 2026, its first rocket, Yueqian-1, is about 70 m tall and about 4.2 m in diameter, with 720 t of liftoff thrust and about 18 t of expendable capacity to low Earth orbit; an earlier design reported by Interesting Engineering in November 2024 was 75 m tall with 10.46 t expendable capacity. The two sets of figures come from different periods. The company says it has completed China's first ground test of a "chopsticks" recovery tower and targets a maiden flight in 2027. On funding, it closed an angel round of more than RMB 100 million in November 2024 and a RMB 500 million round in April 2026 led by Qianhai Fangzhou, Houji Capital and Puhua Capital. No official website has been publicly disclosed.
The company says it has completed China's first ground test of a "chopsticks" recovery tower, developed a tower controller called Xiaohuoshi, completed static-load and modal tests, and plans an offshore recovery-tower platform; Yueqian-1 targets a 2027 maiden flight.
The company announced that valves for its 150 t-class methalox engine Qingyu-11 completed design, production and full-condition ground testing, meeting all performance targets; full-system engine testing is next.
The company announced that the second-stage avionics bay of the first Yueqian-1 flight vehicle passed a structural static test, meeting design targets for strength, stiffness and stability.
According to Kuai Keji, Yueqian-1 completed a combined static test of the second-stage thrust frame and tank aft dome; the report gave the rocket as about 70 m tall, about 4.2 m in diameter, with 720 t liftoff thrust and about 18 t expendable to LEO.
The company announced that its 150 t-class methalox engine Qingyu-11 completed torch-ignition, component cryogenic and component flow tests, with full-system engine testing planned for the second half of the year.
The round was led by Qianhai Fangzhou, Houji Capital and Puhua Capital, with Junling Capital, Haiyuan Capital and others following and China Renaissance as long-term financial adviser. Proceeds go to Yueqian-1 development and maiden flight and to a 100 t-class methalox engine; final assembly and testing are planned for the second half of 2026 and the maiden flight for 2027. The amount is single-source (company release).
Cosmoleap exhibited Yueqian-1 and its 150 t-class reusable methalox engine Qingyu-11 at the China Space Conference.
Yueqian-1's helium-pressurised bipropellant attitude-control system (with 300 N and 100 N thrusters) completed an integrated test lasting on the order of 1,000 seconds; the company says it is ready for flight delivery. (Test date not disclosed; report date used.)
The company said its recovery test tower completed static testing and commissioning, with measurement data matching simulations; on 10 December the Yueqian-1 design had passed preliminary review. (Test date not disclosed; report date used.)
According to Interesting Engineering, the company announced on 1 November that it had raised more than RMB 100 million (about USD 14 million) for the Yueqian rocket and its recovery system; the early design was 75 m tall with 10,460 kg expendable capacity. Single-source figure.
Chinese commercial space company Dahang Yueqian is developing a recovery method in which tower-mounted arms catch the rocket, replacing landing legs to save mass and extend reuse life. Its Yueqian-1 rocket recently completed several ground tests and is scheduled to fly for the first time in 2027.