Be smart, SpaceX! The Chinese are coming with their own recoverable launch vehicle!

Hello, readers!

Last week, news about the successful test of a Chinese rocket capable of landing like SpaceX's Falcon 9 was widely circulated in the press and social media.

The chinese company Linkspace presented a video showing a 300 meters jump of its recoverable launch vehicle prototype: the RLV-T5.

See the video below:

According SpaceNews(.com) "A full test flight of the NewLine-1 orbital launcher, to be capable of carrying 200 kilograms to a 500 kilometer sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), is planned for 2021.".

With the advertised payload and orbit capabilities, we cannot classify this LV as a direct opponent of the legendary Falcon 9, but, considering the advanced TRL (Technology Readiness Level) of this prototype, we should soon see a first competitor to challenge SpaceX's hegemony in this field of "suicide-burn" recoverable rockets.

You can read more details about this notice here: https://spacenews.com/chinese-linkspace-reaches-300-meters-with-launch-and-landing-test/

Be smart, SpaceX! 

Rui Botelho

(Brazilian Space)