Xinghuo Kongjian Announces China's First Electric-Cycle Liquid Rocket "Evolution-1"
Summary: Xinghuo Kongjian, China's first commercial space company dedicated to electric-cycle liquid launch vehicles, announced it is developing China's first electric-cycle liquid rocket, the "Evolution-1." With a total length of 27.5 meters and a thrust of 90 tons, the vehicle offers 1.5 tons of LEO payload capacity, making it the world's largest electric-cycle liquid rocket by payload. The company plans to provide "space express" launch services for satellite deployment, small constellation deployment, and large constellation replenishment.
Evolution-1 Key Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Length | 27.5 m |
| Body Diameter | 2.25 m |
| Liftoff Thrust | 90 tons |
| LEO Payload | 1.5 tons |
| SSO Payload | 1 ton |
| Engine Configuration | 9+1 (9 main + 1 vernier) |
| Engine Model | Lieyan-2 (LY-2), 10-ton-class electric-cycle |
Electric-Cycle Technology Breakthrough
Traditional liquid rocket engines use gas generator cycles or staged combustion cycles, where high-temperature gas drives a turbopump to feed propellant into the combustion chamber, resulting in complex systems and high costs. The electric-cycle approach replaces the turbopump with an electric pump driven by battery power, eliminating the gas generator, turbine, and other complex components. This dramatically simplifies engine structure, reduces manufacturing costs and system failure rates, while the electrical system enables precise control, facilitating thrust adjustment and multiple restarts.
The core technology enabling Evolution-1 is the domestically developed 10-ton-class electric-cycle liquid rocket engine "Lieyan-2" (LY-2). In March this year, the Lieyan-2 engine successfully completed its first full-system test run, verifying the feasibility of the electric pump cycle technical route and setting a new world record for thrust in electric-cycle rocket engines.
Company Background
Xinghuo Kongjian was established in May 2024 as China's first commercial space company dedicated to electric-cycle liquid launch vehicle systems and operations, with its founding team primarily composed of alumni from Beihang University. On December 10, 2025, the company's production base in the Hefei Xinzhou Hi-Tech Zone broke ground, with the Evolution-1 simultaneously unveiled.
On May 30, 2026, a delegation of leaders from Jiuquan city visited Hefei Xinghuo Kongjian Technology Co., Ltd. for an inspection tour, focusing on cooperation matters such as the construction of a commercial rocket launch pad. On the same day, Xinghuo Kongjian officially announced the Evolution-1's development progress.
Sources (original pages)
- IT Home: World's Largest Payload Capacity — Xinghuo Kongjian Announces China's First Electric-Cycle Liquid Rocket "Evolution-1"
- Sina Tech: World's Largest Payload Capacity — Xinghuo Kongjian Announces China's First Electric-Cycle Liquid Rocket "Evolution-1"
- Mydrivers: World's Largest Payload Capacity — Xinghuo Kongjian Announces China's First Electric-Cycle Liquid Rocket "Evolution-1"