China's Nebula-2 reusable rocket featuring 'chopstick-style' recovery system advances as key 5-meter-diameter propellant tank rolls off production line
Nebula-2 reusable rocket (Photo: CGI provided by the Deep Blue Aerospace)
The 5-meter-diameter stainless steel propellant tank, a key component of China’s commercial reusable launch vehicle Nebula-2, has recently rolled off the production line, marking a major step forward in the rocket’s intensive engineering development phase, the Global Times learned from its developer, Wuxi-based commercial space startup Deep Blue Aerospace, on Monday.
The rocket is designed to feature a “chopstick-style” in-situ capture system, which could eventually allow it to be caught at the launch site rather than landing at a separate location.
Propellant tanks are structural backbones of rockets and one of the key components affecting the pace of large-scale rocket production and delivery.
From design to manufacturing of the 5-meter-diameter stainless steel propellant tank, it set a new record for large-diameter stainless steel rocket tank production in China’s commercial space sector, and paving the way for a second-stage propulsion system test for the Nebula-2 rocket planned for year-end, the Science and Technology Daily reported on Monday.
The Nebula-2 rocket can carry up to 25 tons to low Earth orbit. Its first stage is equipped with 11 Thunder-RS engines delivering 12,446 kilonewtons of liftoff thrust, while its second stage uses a single vacuum-optimized engine.
The Nebula-2 is designed for more than 20 reuses and features a “chopstick-style” in-situ capture system which could eventually enable the rocket to be captured at its launch site rather than landing at a separate location, improving launch, recovery and reuse efficiency.
At present, the development of Nebula-2 is progressing smoothly, with its structural, propulsion, recovery and navigation, and ground tracking, telemetry and control systems advancing steadily on schedule.
With its high payload capacity and cost-effectiveness, Nebula-2 is designed to support a wide range of missions, from large-scale satellite constellation deployment for China’s satellite internet network to launching high-value medium- and large-sized satellites into geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO), medium Earth orbit (MEO) and other orbits for domestic and international customers.
China is pursuing multiple technological approaches to reusable rocket recovery, with progress in 2026 highlighting the country's efforts to develop more flexible and cost-effective launch capabilities.
On July 10, the Long March-10B successfully completed a sea-based recovery of its first stage using a net system mounted on an offshore platform, marking China's first successful recovery of an orbital-class rocket booster. On August 19, the Zhuque-3 Y2 rocket developed by private aerospace firm LandSpace achieved the country's first successful land-based recovery of an orbital-class rocket's first stage using deployable landing legs.