Nebula-1
A kerosene and liquid-oxygen rocket designed to carry about 2 tonnes to low Earth orbit and land its first stage for reuse. It has not flown to orbit yet.
Why it matters
China has several companies racing to copy the reusable first stage that made SpaceX cheap. Nebula-1 is one of the closest, and a working version would add low-cost launch capacity for China's large satellite constellations.
How the technology works
Nine kerosene and liquid-oxygen engines power a 3.35 m wide first stage, which is meant to fly back under engine power and touch down on landing legs. Deep Blue has flown test stages to build up landing experience, including a 179-second hop in 2024 that ended in an explosion just before touchdown.
The first orbital attempt is planned to include a booster landing.
Sources
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction