"LandSpace Becomes First Private Commercial Rocket Company to Win National Science and Technology Progress Award | Xinwen NEWS"

On the morning of June 24, the National Science and Technology Conference, the National Science and Technology Awards Conference, and the Academicians' Assembly of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering convened in Beijing. Xi Jinping presented awards to recipients of the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award and delivered an important speech.

A project titled "Key Technologies and Engineering Applications of Centrifugal Pumps Under Complex and Variable Operating Conditions," with LandSpace — a portfolio company of Heart Capital — as a primary completing institution and Liu Lei, General Manager of the Power R&D Department and Power Manufacturing Base, as a primary contributor, has won the Second Prize of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award. This honor marks the first time a domestic commercial rocket company has been recognized at the nation's highest level of scientific and technological awards. It underscores LandSpace's unwavering position at the forefront of the industry — whether in its relentless pursuit of new quality productive forces or in driving industrial development through technological achievements. As one of LandSpace's early investors, the Heart Capital team is deeply honored. Heart Capital began its in-depth research into China's aerospace sector six years ago and has consistently been bullish on the market potential and growth prospects of private enterprises in this domain. LandSpace's recognition today is not only an affirmation and encouragement of its commitment to "the hard but right path," but also a tribute to its entrepreneurial spirit of "tackling tough challenges and scaling new heights." This inspires us as early-stage investors to remain grounded, persistent, and committed — to be patient capital that grows alongside China's technology enterprises.

The five categories of the State Science and Technology Awards established by the State Council — the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award, the State Natural Science Award, the State Technological Invention Award, the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award, and the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award — represent the highest honors in China's scientific and technological community, carrying immense authority and influence.

Among them, the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award is granted to Chinese citizens and organizations that have made creative contributions in technological research, development, and innovation; in the promotion and application of advanced scientific and technological achievements; in the advancement of high-tech industrialization; and in the completion of major science and technology projects and programs. Its prestige speaks for itself.

In the 2023 State Science and Technology Awards, there were 2 recipients of the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award, 49 State Natural Science Awards, 62 State Technological Invention Awards, 139 State Scientific and Technological Progress Awards, and 10 International Science and Technology Cooperation Awards.

The award-winning project addresses the complex and variable operating conditions of centrifugal pumps in high-end applications such as liquid rocket engines, special-purpose vessels, and petrochemical processing. It overcame multiple technical bottlenecks to achieve independent, controllable, and domestically developed applications of liquid oxygen-methane turbopumps, low-vibration centrifugal pumps for special-purpose vessels, and high-end petrochemical centrifugal pumps — significantly elevating China's overall design and manufacturing capabilities for centrifugal pumps.

LandSpace played a leading role in tackling high-pressure, cryogenic centrifugal pump design and testing technologies, developing 80-ton and 10-ton liquid oxygen-methane turbopumps. As the sole high-speed rotating core power component, these turbopumps are integrated into LandSpace's independently developed Tianque series of liquid oxygen-methane engines, supporting the two consecutive successful launches of the Zhuque-2 rocket in July and December 2023 — making it the world's first and, to date, only liquid oxygen-methane rocket to achieve continuous orbital insertion.

The Zhuque-2 liquid oxygen-methane launch vehicle's turbopump employs a dual cryogenic centrifugal pump and co-axial high-temperature turbine architecture. Its complex structure and harsh operating environment present formidable challenges: unclear internal flow mechanisms, difficult-to-control fluid-induced vibrations, insufficient reliability for reusability, and an incomplete assembly and testing framework. To address these, LandSpace collaborated closely with university research teams and experts over many years of joint攻关. Extensive research was conducted on key technologies spanning cross-scale precision manufacturing for liquid oxygen-methane engines, high-parameter fluid dynamic design and structural optimization for turbopumps. Breakthroughs were achieved in multiphase flow in turbopumps, fluid dynamic design, dual cryogenic co-axial pump design, high-pressure-ratio supersonic turbine design, turbopump rotor dynamic design, and turbopump assembly and testing — enabling the first-ever development of dual cryogenic co-axial turbopumps for 80-ton and 10-ton liquid oxygen-methane engines.

LandSpace has consistently prioritized focusing on major national strategic needs, achieving breakthroughs in core and key technologies, and emphasizing and strengthening "original" scientific and technological攻关. The company has made achieving the development, orbital insertion, recovery, and reflight of reusable liquid oxygen-methane rockets, and resolving "chokepoint" constrained technologies its foremost objective — providing solid technical assurance and innovative momentum for accelerating the development of low-cost, high-frequency rapid launch capabilities and the eventual realization of airline-like rocket operations. LandSpace has already established the industry's only full-chain delivery system, working to build a new technological ecosystem encompassing supply chain, intelligent manufacturing, and launch services.

Going forward, the company will stay aligned with the theme of "new quality productive forces," adhere to the path of independent R&D, tackle tough challenges and scale new heights, and develop low-cost, heavy-lift精品 rockets. In commercial aerospace — the主阵地 of strategic emerging industries — LandSpace will enhance its "hard tech" capabilities and shape the "LandSpace model," contributing greater strength to the advancement of China's space endeavors and industrial upgrading.

Founded in 2022, Heart Capital is an early-stage venture capital fund focused on technology and digitalization in China. The Heart Capital team is led by Yan Han, founding partner of Lightspeed China, alongside core investors, a CFO, and seasoned investors from industry. Notable past investments include Series A investments in Xpeng Motors (NYSE: XPEV, 09868.HK) and Full Truck Alliance (NYSE: YMM), as well as FinVolution Group (NYSE: FINV), RoboSense (02948.HK), Baichuan, Yunmanman Cold Chain, Fan Deng Reading, World Logistics, Micro-Nano Starry Sky, LandSpace, Lanhu, Starfield, and others. Rooted in China with a global outlook, Heart Capital is committed to finding true value in non-consensus. The firm respects the value of "people" and champions the potential of the "heart," aspiring to accompany more young Chinese entrepreneurs in strengthening China and expanding onto the world stage.