Yueqian-1 (Leap-1) Launch Vehicle

The Yueqian-1, marketed as Leap-1, is Cosmoleap’s flagship medium-to-large reusable launch vehicle. Standing 70 meters tall with a 4.2-meter diameter, it is designed to serve the rapidly growing satellite-constellation market with highly competitive launch economics driven by first-stage reusability.

The rocket is powered by multiple Qingyu-11 methane/liquid-oxygen engines, each producing approximately 150 tons of thrust with a wide 30–105% throttle range and a vacuum specific impulse of up to 350 seconds. The combination of deep throttling capability and tower-catch recovery eliminates the need for landing legs on the booster, reducing mass and increasing net payload delivered to orbit.

In expendable configuration the Yueqian-1 can lift 18,000 kg to low Earth orbit; with first-stage recovery that figure is 12,000 kg, and 6,280 kg in the initial development configuration. Each booster is designed for up to 15 reuse cycles, and the production and ground-support system is sized for 24 launches per year, targeting a throughput of 150 tonnes of payload per year.

Final assembly and testing are scheduled for the second half of 2026, with the first orbital flight targeted for 2027. The program has raised over 600 million yuan in total venture funding to date.