Zenk Space raises $26 million, targets June debut launch - SpaceNews
Close
Search for:
Search
Close
Skip to content
Menu
Sign In
Open Search
Search for:
Search
Home / Zenk Space raises $26 million, targets June debut launch
A hot fire test of the ZH-1 first stage on the HOS-1 mobile platform, February 2026. Credit: Zenk Space
KOUROU, French Guiana — China’s Zenk Space has secured 180 million yuan ahead of the planned June debut of its Zhihang-1 kerolox rocket, the company’s first orbital launch attempt.
Zenk Space raised $26 million (180 million yuan) in a round led by Wenzhou Bay New Area Investment Group, according to local Wenzhou news reports May 14. Wenzhou Municipal State Investment Company, Eastern New City Group, city and district level state-owned capital entities, and private investor Yarong Ventures also joined.
The funding will provide solid financial backing for the Zhihang-1 (ZH-1) inaugural mission and ensure all pre-launch activities proceed smoothly, the company said. A separate report May 16 stated the launch is scheduled for June.
Sign up for First Up: Get the latest updates on SpaceX, Artemis, NASA and more. From Jeff Foust, First Up is a recap of the day's space industry news, including civil, commercial, and military space developments.
Sign up
By submitting this form, you agree to the SpaceNews privacy policy and terms and conditions and to receive email from us and our partners. You can opt-out at any time.
Zhihang-1 is a 49.8-meter-long, 3.35m-diameter, kerosene-liquid oxygen launcher capable of 4,000 kilograms to a 500-kilometer Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO).
The rocket uses YF-102 kerosene-liquid oxygen engines purchased from state-owned CASC’s Academy of Aerospace Liquid Propulsion Technology. CAS Space’s Kinetica-1 and Space Pioneer’s Tianlong-2 also use the YF-102. Propellant tanks are sourced from commercial firm R-Space.
The first Zhihang-1 was transported to a rehearsal site via truck May 16. The company conducted a successful static fire test of its first stage in February 2026 using the HOS-1 mobile sea platform off the coast of Shandong province.
The company is planning partial engine recovery for the ZH-1, as part of an incremental plan to develop reusable launchers. The first stage of the ZH-1 will not be recovered, according to one presentation shared online, instead the engine bay section will separate from the first stage after second stage separation. Thermal protection will assist high-speed reentry through the atmosphere, before parachutes deploy to slow descent, with airbags for buoyancy after splashdown. The engines can then be recovered, inspected and refurbished and potentially integrated with a new first stage. The plan echoes the SMART recovery system studied by United Launch Alliance.
Zenk Space, full name Beijing Space Zhihang Technology Co., Ltd., has major local subsidiaries including research and development and manufacturing facilities in Anqing, Anhui province.
The emergence of a launch firm with an industrial presence in Anhui is part of a wider pattern in China’s growing space industry. While China has major established space clusters, such as in and around Beijing, Shanghai and Xi’an, and emerging clusters in places including Wuhan and Guangzhou, numerous provinces are forming enacting space policies, seeking to attract and foster space companies, both to deliver high-tech growth and following policy signals from the central government.
Commercial funding rounds frequently involve local and provincial investment vehicles which support the construction of industrial facilities.
Related
Andrew Jones
Andrew Jones covers China's space industry for SpaceNews. Andrew has previously lived in China and reported from major space conferences there. Based in Helsinki, Finland, he has written for National Geographic, New Scientist, Smithsonian Magazine, Sky...<br>More by Andrew Jones
Stellar Dispatch
all dispatches >>
Rocketeers are Competing at the IREC for Your Attention
Global Smallsat Deployment Accelerates, with 16,900 Satellites Projected Through 2035
Space Foundation Premieres National Space Day Video May 1
Emerson Launches Innovative Software-Driven Method for High-Fidelity Aerospace RF Testing
Novaspace and OGC Unveil the China Space Industry Intelligence Catalog
Job Exchange
all jobs >>
Sign in
Close
Continue with Google
Or
Enter the code sent to your email
Email address
Enter your password
Sign in by entering the code we sent to , or clicking the magic link in the email.
Continue<br>Resend code<br>Email me a one-time code instead<br>Forgot password<br>Create an account<br>Sign in to an existing account<br>Go back
Continue<br>Set a password (optional)
To continue reading this article:
Register now to get<br>2 more free articles this month.
You’ll also receive our weekly Editor’s Choice, SpaceNews This Week and Opinions newsletters. Opt-out at any time.
Sign up
Sign in to an existing account
Get unlimited access...