Great Aviation Leap Secures 500 Million Yuan in Funding to Build China's First Tower-Catch Recovery Rocket

Hard Krypton has learned that Shanghai Great Aviation Leap Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Great Aviation Leap") recently completed a 500 million yuan funding round. The round was co-led by Qianhai Fund of Funds, Houji Capital, and Puhua Capital, with participation from Junling Capital, Haiyuan Capital, Huifengda, Junchuan Capital, and other institutions, as well as industry player Shenghou Cable. Several existing shareholders also increased their positions. Huaxing Capital served as the long-term financial advisor.

Funding Use: Accelerating Development of China's First Tower-Catch Recovery Rocket

The funding will primarily be allocated to two key areas: first, accelerating the development and maiden flight preparations of its core product — "Yueqian-1," China's first tower-catch recovery launch vehicle; and second, the R&D and testing of a 100-ton-class liquid oxygen-methane engine.

Great Aviation Leap was founded in February 2024. Despite being just over a year old, the company boasts a deeply experienced core team. Founder Chen Shuguang has long been immersed in the aerospace sector. He previously worked at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology and entered the commercial spaceflight industry in 2016, serving as deputy general manager and technical lead at a leading rocket company. He brings extensive experience in launch vehicle development and management.

Why Choose "Chopstick" Tower-Catch Recovery?

In selecting its rocket recovery approach, Great Aviation Leap has taken the same path as SpaceX's Starship — the tower-catch method, colloquially known in the industry as the "chopstick catch" approach.

According to Chen Shuguang, compared with traditional landing leg recovery, tower-catch recovery offers significant structural and cost advantages. Specifically, it can reduce structural weight by approximately 6 tons, meaning the rocket can allocate more capacity to payload. Meanwhile, the per-launch cost is only about one-tenth that of landing leg solutions, making it particularly economically advantageous in high-frequency launch scenarios.

In October 2024, SpaceX's Starship achieved the first-ever tower mechanical arm catch of a Super Heavy booster during its fifth test flight, validating the feasibility of this technical approach and boosting confidence across the global commercial spaceflight community. Great Aviation Leap has become the first private rocket company in China to commit to implementing this technology.

Commercial Spaceflight Enters a Critical Phase of Scaled Validation

China's commercial spaceflight sector is currently at a critical stage of scaled validation. As major national projects such as satellite internet constellations advance, the demand for high-frequency, low-cost launches for satellite network deployment is becoming increasingly urgent. Reducing launch costs and enhancing payload capacity have become the two core competitive imperatives for the industry.

Against this backdrop, reusable rocket technology is regarded as the "key to breaking through." Great Aviation Leap's decision to directly target the more forward-looking tower-catch recovery approach reflects both the team's technical confidence and the capital market's endorsement of next-generation rocket recovery technology.

Looking at the investor lineup, this round includes state-backed funds, market-oriented institutions, and industrial capital — a diverse structure that signals sustained multi-stakeholder confidence in the commercial spaceflight sector. Completing a 500 million yuan funding round just one year after founding also underscores the market's strong recognition of Great Aviation Leap's technical capabilities and commercial prospects.

Outlook

With this round of funding secured, the development of "Yueqian-1" is expected to accelerate further. If the maiden flight and tower-catch recovery tests proceed successfully, Great Aviation Leap will become one of the few rocket companies worldwide — after SpaceX — to master tower-catch recovery capabilities. As China's commercial spaceflight sector moves toward a new era of high-density, low-cost launches, this young company is one to watch closely.