OneSpace

OneSpace, legally registered as Beijing OneSpace Technology Group, is a notable player in China's commercial space sector, focusing on the development and launch of rockets for the small satellite market. The company was established in August 2015 by its founder and CEO, Shu Chang. Shu, a graduate of Beihang University in aircraft design, transitioned from a career in strategic aerospace investment to entrepreneurship, founding OneSpace after identifying a gap in the market for private aerospace companies in China.

The company's primary business involves providing cost-effective and high-frequency launch services for microsatellites and nanosatellites. Its business model encompasses the vertical integration of rocket technology, from research and development to manufacturing and launch services. This includes offering customized solutions for flight tests and providing electrical and propellant products. OneSpace operates with a headquarters and R&D center in Beijing, a manufacturing and assembly base in Chongqing, and rocket engine testing facilities in Jiangxi and Shanxi provinces.

OneSpace has developed several rocket series, primarily the OS-X for suborbital flights and the OS-M for orbital launches. The OS-X series serves as a test platform for research and technology verification. A significant milestone was achieved on May 17, 2018, with the launch of the OS-X0 suborbital rocket, marking China's first launch by a private company. This was followed by another successful suborbital launch of the OS-X1 in September 2018. The OS-M series is designed to deliver payloads into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO). The OS-M1, a 19-meter, four-stage solid-fuel rocket, is designed to lift approximately 112 kg to a 500 km SSO. Its inaugural orbital launch attempt in March 2019, carrying a satellite for ZeroG Lab, was unsuccessful due to a gyroscope malfunction during the first-stage separation.

Financially, OneSpace has secured significant private and state-backed funding since its inception. The initial angel round in December 2015 raised 15 million RMB. By August 2018, the company had completed a Series B funding round of $43.6 million, bringing its total capital raised to approximately $116 million. Its latest disclosed funding was a Series C round in September 2020, with investors including Zhengxuan Investment and Chongqing Liangjiang Equity Investment Fund Management.

Keywords: OneSpace, Beijing OneSpace Technology, Shu Chang, Chinese commercial space, small satellite launch, private rocket company, OS-X rocket, OS-M rocket, suborbital launch, orbital launch vehicle, microsatellite launch, nanosatellite deployment, solid propellant rocket, space launch services, Chongqing Liangjiang Star, commercial aerospace China, launch vehicle development, private spaceflight, satellite deployment, rocket manufacturing