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South China Morning Post

China in bid to challenge giant SpaceX by deploying maglev rocket launch pad by 2028

In a bid to disrupt the United States' long-held dominance in space exploration, China is quietly advancing a radical new rocket launch system – powered not by roaring engines but by electromagnetic force – that could propel satellites into orbit with unprecedented speed and efficiency. Advertisement At the heart of the ambitious project is Galactic Energy , a private aerospace company that plans to debut the world's first electromagnetic rocket launch pad by 2028, a project that could redraw the competitive lines of the global space industry. Developed in partnership with state-backed research institutes in Sichuan province in southwestern China, the system uses superconducting magnets to silently accelerate rockets to supersonic speeds before ignition, a process often compared to launching a maglev train vertically. 11:05 Space race elevates Asia in new world order Space race elevates Asia in new world order The Ziyang government in Sichuan and the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) is testing China's first electromagnetic launch verification platform with the ambitious goal of launching in three years, according to a report by Sichuan Radio and Television last week. The platform would accelerate rockets to speeds above Mach 1 as rockets burn most fuel at the beginning of a flight, and offers a future in which launches could become as routine as high-speed rail departures. The technology could double payload capacity and lower the launch cost, said Li Ping, president of the Ziyang Commercial Space Launch Technology Research Institute. Li said the launch track would not require the maintenance needed for traditional launch pads, enabling more frequent launches. Advertisement If successful, it could offer China the critical edge it seeks to challenge American giants such as SpaceX.