Deep Blue Aerospace
Deep Blue Aerospace is a Chinese private commercial space company developing liquid oxygen-kerosene reusable launch vehicles (Nebula-1, Nebula-2) powered by proprietary needle-bolt injection engines (Thunder-R, Thunder-RS), serving satellite operators, government agencies, and prospective space tourism customers with launches targeted from 2027 onward.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersYuzhuang, China
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Deep Blue Aerospace does
Deep Blue Aerospace (Jiangsu Shenlan Aerospace Co., LTD / 江苏深蓝航天有限公司) is a Chinese private commercial space company founded in 2017 and headquartered in the Jiangsu Wuxi National High-tech Industrial Development Zone, with a 400+ person engineering team and an R&D branch in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone. The company designs, manufactures, and intends to commercially operate liquid oxygen-kerosene reusable launch vehicles, organized around two product lines: the Nebula (星云) series of launch vehicles and the Thunder (雷霆) series of rocket engines.
The company's technology stack centers on two open-cycle liquid oxygen-kerosene engines — the Thunder-R (237kN ground / 268kN vacuum thrust) and the larger Thunder-RS (~1,240–1,300kN ground / ~1,480–1,500kN vacuum thrust) — both featuring needle-bolt injection technology claimed to be a first among Chinese kerosene engines and explicitly benchmarked against SpaceX's Merlin architecture. Major engine components are fully 3D-printed to reduce part count. These engines power the Nebula-1, a three-stage medium-lift vehicle (3.35m diameter, 3-ton SSO / 4–6 ton LEO capacity, 11-engine cluster on the first stage) with first-stage vertical takeoff, vertical landing (VTVL) recovery and reuse, and the planned Nebula-2 heavy-lift vehicle (5m diameter, 18-ton SSO / 25-ton LEO) targeted for a 2027 maiden flight.
The business model is a hybrid of B2B launch services and a future B2C space tourism offering. Commercial revenue is intended to flow from dedicated and shared launch services sold to satellite operators and government agencies, with mission-by-mission pricing based on payload, orbit, and customization. In parallel, the company has begun direct-to-consumer ticket sales for 2027 suborbital space tourism flights at approximately $211,000 per seat with a 50,000 yuan deposit. The company is currently pre-revenue: Nebula-1 is in ground subsystem testing ahead of its maiden flight, Nebula-2 is in development, and the space tourism product is forward-dated to 2027. Capital intensity is high, with cumulative disclosed funding exceeding $240M USD across multiple Series A and B-class rounds, including a 2024 Series B led by Wuxi High-tech Zone Investment Holding Group and a 2025 B+ round of ~$69M USD.
Deep Blue Aerospace firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Deep Blue Aerospace
- Legal name
- 江苏深蓝航天有限公司
- Website
- http://www.dbaspace.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Deep Blue Aerospace is a Chinese private commercial space company developing liquid oxygen-kerosene reusable launch vehicles (Nebula-1, Nebula-2) powered by proprietary needle-bolt injection engines (Thunder-R, Thunder-RS), serving satellite operators, government agencies, and prospective space tourism customers with launches targeted from 2027 onward.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Deep Blue Aerospace industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Space Launch Vehicles
- NAICS
- Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Propulsion Unit and Propulsion Unit Parts Manufacturing (336415)
- SIC
- Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Engines & Turbines (3510)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Launch Vehicles & Orbital Rockets (IMABACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Spacecraft & Satellites (Civil/Commercial) (IMABACAB), Rocket Engines (Liquid) (IMABADAE)
Keywords
Where Deep Blue Aerospace is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Yuzhuang
- HQ country
- China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices3 records
Markets served
Deep Blue Aerospace business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Dedicated Launch Services: Customized orbital launch services where clients can book dedicated launches with tailored orbit parameters. Revenue generated from launch fees based on payload weight, orbit type, and mission customization.
- Shared Launch Services: Joint launch missions where multiple satellite operators share a single rocket launch, reducing individual costs. Revenue shared among participants based on payload allocation.
- Space Tourism Tickets: Direct consumer sales of suborbital spaceflight tickets at $211,000 per seat with 50,000 yuan deposit. Planned for 2027 launch, targeting high net worth adventure travelers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Space Tourism Suborbital Flight |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Deep Blue Aerospace product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Deep Blue Aerospace (Jiangsu Shenlan Aerospace Co., LTD) designs, manufactures, and operates liquid oxygen-kerosene reusable launch vehicles, including the Nebula-1 medium-lift rocket and the planned Nebula-2 heavy-lift rocket. The company develops its own Thunder-R and Thunder-RS rocket engines with proprietary needle-bolt injection and 3D-printed components, and sells dedicated and shared orbital launch services to satellite operators, with space tourism suborbital flights announced for 2027.
Product overview
Deep Blue Aerospace is a commercial space enterprise focused on liquid reusable launch vehicles. Its product portfolio consists of the NEBULA (星云) series of launch vehicles and the THUNDER (雷霆) series of liquid rocket engines. The Nebula-1 is a three-stage medium-lift vehicle with vertical recovery technology for reusability, while Nebula-2 is a planned heavy-lift vehicle. These are powered by Thunder-R and Thunder-RS kerosene/liquid oxygen engines featuring advanced 3D-printed components and needle-bolt injection technology. The company offers dedicated and shared launch services for customers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Nebula (星云): NEBULA series of launch vehicles including Nebula-1 liquid reusable launch vehicle and Nebula-2 liquid reusable launch vehicle
- Thunder (雷霆)
Products and services
- Nebula-1 (星云一号) Launch Vehicle Three-stage liquid reusable launch vehicle with 3.35m diameter body, 11+2 Thunder-R engine configuration, and 3-ton SSO / 4-6 ton LEO carrying capacity. Features first-stage vertical recovery and reuse technology.
- Nebula-2 (星云二号) Launch Vehicle Two/three-stage heavy-lift liquid reusable launch vehicle with 5m diameter body, 11+1 Super Thunder engine configuration, and 18-ton SSO / 25-ton LEO carrying capacity. Designed for larger payloads and commercial operations.
- Thunder-R (雷霆R) Rocket Engine Open-cycle liquid oxygen-kerosene rocket engine with needle-bolt injection technology, 237kN ground thrust and 268kN vacuum thrust. Thrust regulation of 40%-110%, restart capability of at least 3 times, with main parts fully 3D-printed.
- Thunder-RS (雷霆RS) Rocket Engine
- Dedicated Launch Reservation Services Customized launch scheduling service allowing customers to book dedicated launches on Nebula-1 (3.35m diameter, Thunder-R engine, 3-ton SSO/4-6 ton LEO capacity) with full flow control and responsive launch capabilities.
- Shared Launch Services Coordinated launch service allowing multiple organizations' satellites to share a single rocket launch, providing cost-effective access to orbit.
- Space Tourism Suborbital Flights Suborbital space tourism experience lasting approximately 12 minutes, offered to high net worth individuals at $211,000 per seat with a 50,000 yuan deposit requirement.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nebula-1 targets 4-6 ton LEO payload capacity, reducing cost per launch through reusability
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Deep Blue Aerospace
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Deep Blue Aerospace technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Deep Blue Aerospace partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Deep Blue Aerospace competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- LandSpace (蓝箭航天): Chinese private launch startup developing the Zhuque series of liquid methalox rockets, including the world's first methalox rocket to reach orbit. Most direct domestic competitor to Deep Blue in the reusable, liquid-propellant commercial launch category.
- Galactic Energy (星河动力): Chinese private launch company operating the Ceres-1 solid rocket and developing the reusable Pallas-1 liquid methalox rocket. Competes head-to-head with Deep Blue for the same Chinese small- and medium-lift commercial payload customers.
- iSpace (星际荣耀): Chinese private launch startup focused on the Hyperbola series of liquid-propellant rockets and the SQX series of suborbital vehicles. Targets the same commercial and government small/medium-payload launch segment as Deep Blue.
- Orienspace (东方空间): Chinese private launch startup developing the Gravity-1 (solid) and Gravity-2 (reusable liquid) rockets, including sea-launched platforms. Competes with Deep Blue on commercial and responsive launch, particularly for constellation customers.
- Space Pioneer (北京星际探索): Chinese private launch company developing the Tianlong series of liquid-propellant rockets. Competes directly with Deep Blue in the small- to medium-lift commercial launch market in China.
- Rocket Lab: U.S.-listed commercial launch operator flying the Electron small launcher and developing the reusable Neutron medium-lift rocket. Closest international peer to Deep Blue in business model (small/medium reusable launch + engine IP).
Broad incumbents
- CASC (China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation): China's primary state-owned space contractor and operator of the Long March launch vehicle family. Dominates Chinese launch capacity and competes for the same payload customers, including government and large commercial satellites.
- CASIC (China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation): China's second major state-owned space conglomerate, operating the KZ-1A (Kuaizhou) and JL-1 (Lijian) launchers. Provides low-cost responsive launch capacity that competes with Deep Blue on price-sensitive domestic and commercial missions.
- SpaceX: Global commercial launch leader operating Falcon 9 (reusable) and Starship. Not a direct commercial competitor today, but the design benchmark Deep Blue explicitly cites for its needle-bolt engine and VTVL architecture, and the ultimate cost-per-kg target Deep Blue is chasing.
Emerging players
- Relativity Space: U.S. private launch startup developing the fully reusable, 3D-printed Terran R rocket. Comparable to Deep Blue in its emphasis on additive manufacturing to compress part count and cost, though at much larger scale and later stage.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Deep Blue Aerospace financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Deep Blue Aerospace leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Deep Blue Aerospace funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds9 records
Investors28 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Deep Blue Aerospace M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Deep Blue Aerospace
What does Deep Blue Aerospace do?
Deep Blue Aerospace (Jiangsu Shenlan Aerospace Co., LTD) designs, manufactures, and operates liquid oxygen-kerosene reusable launch vehicles, including the Nebula-1 medium-lift rocket and the planned Nebula-2 heavy-lift rocket. The company develops its own Thunder-R and Thunder-RS rocket engines with proprietary needle-bolt injection and 3D-printed components, and sells dedicated and shared orbital launch services to satellite operators, with space tourism suborbital flights announced for 2027.
Is Deep Blue Aerospace a public or private company?
Deep Blue Aerospace is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Deep Blue Aerospace founded?
Deep Blue Aerospace was founded in 2017. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Deep Blue Aerospace based?
Deep Blue Aerospace is headquartered in Yuzhuang, China, in the Asia region.
How does Deep Blue Aerospace make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Dedicated Launch Services are the primary driver. The others are shared Launch Services and space Tourism Tickets.
Who are Deep Blue Aerospace's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are LandSpace (蓝箭航天), Galactic Energy (星河动力), iSpace (星际荣耀), Orienspace (东方空间), Space Pioneer (北京星际探索) and Rocket Lab. Broad incumbents are CASC (China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation), CASIC (China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation) and SpaceX. Relativity Space is listed as an emerging player.
Does Deep Blue Aerospace have an API?
No public API is recorded for Deep Blue Aerospace.
What industry is Deep Blue Aerospace in?
Deep Blue Aerospace's product category is Commercial Space Launch Vehicles. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABACAA, Launch Vehicles & Orbital Rockets, with a secondary code of IMABACAB, Spacecraft & Satellites (Civil/Commercial). Its NAICS code is 336414 and its SIC code is 3760.