While most eyes in the space community are on SpaceX and its near-daily launches, something quietly interesting just happened off the coast of China and it might be worth a closer look.

A young Chinese aerospace startup called Space Epoch recently carried out a successful test of its reusable rocket booster, the Yanxingzhe-1. The test took place at the Oriental Spaceport in Shandong province. The rocket went up, reached an altitude of 2.5 kilometers, and then in a move that’s becoming increasingly important in modern rocketry came back down in a controlled ocean landing.

Yes, it eventually sank. But that wasn’t the point.

The real focus was to demonstrate key reusability features: engine shutdown and restart, glide control, and a soft touchdown on water. And according to the teams behind it "Space Epoch and Jianyuan Technology" the test hit its marks.

Why it matters

Reusable rockets aren’t new, SpaceX set that standard before. But this test adds to a growing list of signs that China’s commercial space sector is maturing, and fast. Space Epoch’s booster uses liquid oxygen and methane, a fuel combo that aligns with trends in cleaner, more reusable propulsion systems. The rocket itself is built from thin-walled stainless steel and aluminum, similar to materials SpaceX is experimenting with for its Starship system.

Though smaller than a Falcon 9 in height, the Yanxingzhe booster is actually wider, and its performance in this test suggests real progress toward making reusable launch systems a reality in China — not just at the government level, but in the startup space as well.

Not just a one-off

This successful landing isn’t happening in isolation. It’s been a busy year for China in space. From launching an asteroid sample return mission, to maintaining operations aboard the Tiangong space station, and preparing for the 2026 launch of the Xuntian space telescope, China’s space activity is layered and steady.

Space Epoch hopes to reach orbit with the Yanxingzhe later this year. And they’re not alone. Other Chinese private players like Landspace, iSpace, and Galactic Energy have already hit major milestones with Landspace completing a booster landing earlier this year.

A changing space race

At this point, global launch activity feels like it breaks down into three main categories: China, SpaceX, and everyone else. SpaceX remains far ahead in reusability, with Falcon 9 boosters landing almost routinely. But China’s emerging space ecosystem is showing signs that it’s preparing for the long game — not just in volume, but in launch economics and sustainability.

Space Epoch’s test is a quiet signal: the race for the next generation of space tech isn’t just between big names anymore.