emirates7 - A private Chinese rocket company has successfully tested delivering packages from Taobao, one of China’s largest e-commerce platforms, using a reusable rocket. The rocket was later recovered from the sea, marking a major breakthrough in commercial space logistics.
Beijing-based startup SEPOCH conducted its first “rocket delivery” trial on May 29, when its XZY-1 test rocket carried over 20 kilograms of parcels during a flight off China’s eastern coast, according to Xinhua News Agency.
The 26.8-meter stainless steel rocket, weighing 57 tonnes, flew for 125 seconds and reached an altitude of 2.5 kilometers before performing a vertical landing on the sea surface near Shandong Province.
After an 18-hour recovery effort, the rocket was successfully retrieved intact and returned to SEPOCH’s facility in excellent condition.
The rocket’s cargo bay, with a volume of 120 cubic meters, is designed to transport up to 10 tonnes of goods, theoretically capable of carrying cars and small trucks.
The test cargo included items from two Taobao stores, featuring products from the National Library’s official flagship store as well as commemorative postcards specially created for the experiment.
SEPOCH founder Wei Yi stated that the test results showed the delivery system met expected standards for fire resistance, moisture protection, and shock absorption.
The partnership between SEPOCH and Alibaba’s Taobao marks China’s venture into the emerging area of point-to-point rocket transportation—a technology with the potential to transform global logistics by cutting delivery times between continents from days to mere minutes.
Beijing-based startup SEPOCH conducted its first “rocket delivery” trial on May 29, when its XZY-1 test rocket carried over 20 kilograms of parcels during a flight off China’s eastern coast, according to Xinhua News Agency.
The 26.8-meter stainless steel rocket, weighing 57 tonnes, flew for 125 seconds and reached an altitude of 2.5 kilometers before performing a vertical landing on the sea surface near Shandong Province.
After an 18-hour recovery effort, the rocket was successfully retrieved intact and returned to SEPOCH’s facility in excellent condition.
The rocket’s cargo bay, with a volume of 120 cubic meters, is designed to transport up to 10 tonnes of goods, theoretically capable of carrying cars and small trucks.
The test cargo included items from two Taobao stores, featuring products from the National Library’s official flagship store as well as commemorative postcards specially created for the experiment.
SEPOCH founder Wei Yi stated that the test results showed the delivery system met expected standards for fire resistance, moisture protection, and shock absorption.
The partnership between SEPOCH and Alibaba’s Taobao marks China’s venture into the emerging area of point-to-point rocket transportation—a technology with the potential to transform global logistics by cutting delivery times between continents from days to mere minutes.