Chinese startup LinkSpace on Saturday completed its third test of a reusable rocket in five months, stepping up the pace in China's race to develop a technology key to cheap space launches in an expected global boom in satellite deployment.
LinkSpace's RLV-T5 rocket blasted off in a desert in western Qinghai province at 0230 GMT. It flew as high as 300 meters (984 feet) before returning to the launchpad on its own after 50 seconds, CEO Hu Zhenyu, 26, said.
The Beijing-based company aims to launch its next-generation RLV-T16 rocket next year that will be capable of reaching an altitude of up to 150 km, Hu said.