Chinese commercial launch startup Nayuta Space has completed back-to-back rounds of Pre-A funding to support the development of its unconventional Xuanniao-R launch vehicle concept. Funding will be directed to fire tests of the second degree, test flights with aerodynamic braking, research in the wind tunnel and development of rocket return technologies.
The Xuanniao-R two-stage rocket is long 70 meters and diameter 3,8 m uses an unconventional approach of aerodynamic braking and horizontal landing (ADHL) for reusability. Nayuta plans her debut test run in the first half 2027 year. This flight will focus on ensuring the successful launch of the payload into orbit and conducting controlled reentry tests to gather relevant data and improve aerodynamic braking and reentry technology.
Nayuta Space's stainless steel rockets are called Black Bird ("Black Bird"), referring to a creature from Chinese mythology. The first stage Black Bird-R will use 13 Canglong-1 methane-oxygen engines, developed by Beijing Aerospace Propulsion Technology Co. Ltd. — a commercial manufacturer of rocket engines, founded in 2018 year.
Nayuta Space believes, that aerodynamic braking will allow you to abandon re-engagement of engines and complex vertical landing systems. However, this approach requires the development of new forms of the body, which will inevitably lead to an increase in weight and complexity of the rocket design.
Dimensions of the rocket, novelty and untested approach testify, that the probability of making a debut launch is 2027 year is low.
In China, there is a rapid increase in the number of new commercial launch vehicles, due in part to strong central government support for commercial space, demand for launches from mega-constellation projects and support from companies, as well as infrastructure at the provincial and local levels.
Source: https://spacenews.com