Chinese private launch firm OneSpace has taken another step towards making its maiden orbital launch with a successful fourth stage engine test of its OS-M launch vehicle.

The tests carried out on October 23 included a third and fourth stage separation test for the solid-propellant OS-M rocket, which will be capable of lifting 205 kg of payload to a 300-km-altitude low Earth orbit (LEO) or 73 to an 800 km Sun-synchronous orbit.

OneSpace performed hot fire ground tests of the OS-M main stage engine in July and third stage tests in September, ahead of the company's second suborbital flight.

A company spokesperson told gbtimes.com that for the next steps, OneSpace will carry out a structure static test and an electrical system comprehensive test, as well as attitude control and propulsion systems checks and vibration tests for the OS-M rocket. Launch is currently expected to take place around the end of this year.

 

Suborbital success

OneSpace successfully launched its second suborbital rocket from Jiuquan in the Gobi Desert last month.

The Chongqing Liangjiang Star rocket lifted off at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre at 04:10 UTC (12:10 local), reaching an altitude of around 35 kilometres and travelling 169 km during a flight of 200 seconds, in accordance with requirements from an unnamed customer.

Amazingly, a Chinese commercial remote sensing satellite captured stunning footage of the suborbital rocket launch from orbit.

OneSpace is one of around 10 space launch companies that have emerged following a 2014 Chinese government decision to open the space sector to private capital, especially in the arenas of launch and small satellites.

One of these startups, Landspace, is currently at the launch site preparing for what could be the first orbital launch by a Chinese private company.

The Zhuque-1 solid-propellant rocket is currently being readied for launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China, with the mission expected to take place on October 27.

Along with Landspace are Linkspace, iSpace—which also had its second suborbital launch in September—and Expace, a nominally private spin-off from state-owned missile-maker CASIC.

Lower-profile, newer companies include S-Motor, JiuZhou YunJian, SpaceTrek, Galaxy Space, Deep Blue Space and Xinghe Power.

Founded in October 2016, iSpace is looking to launch its first orbital rocket, Hyperbola-1, in April 2019 to a 300-km LEO orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, stating in a press release (in Chinese) that 80 kg of payload capacity remains available.