Tianbing Technology Secures Nearly CNY 2.5 Billion in Funding — Metal 3D Printing Accelerates the Rise of China’s Commercial Space Industry

Panda3dp.com Exclusive — October 2025 —
Beijing Tianbing Technology Co., Ltd. (Space Pioneer) has announced the completion of its Pre-D and D financing rounds, raising nearly CNY 2.5 billion from leading investors including Guoyu Gaohua, Jisteel Group, Orient Asset Management, Shenwan Investment, Bank of China Asset Management, and the Guiyang Industrial Development Fund. The funds will primarily be used for mass production and material preparation for rockets and engines, as well as research and development of next-generation launch systems.

Tianbing Technology independently develops reusable liquid-fueled launch vehicles, offering customized, low-cost, and high-reliability launch services for satellite clients. The company also provides comprehensive support — from payload–rocket integration to launch coordination, telemetry, and insurance services. Its proprietary propulsion systems, spanning large, medium, and small thrust engines, are designed for satellite propulsion, supersonic flight, and rocket main or attitude control systems.

Industry experts note that this round of financing will further strengthen Tianbing’s leadership in liquid rocket design, mass manufacturing, and reusability technologies, propelling China’s commercial space sector from individual breakthroughs toward systematic, large-scale, and industrialized growth — accelerating the nation’s progress toward becoming a global space power.

3D Printing: The Core Engine of Tianbing’s Manufacturing Revolution

In April 2023, Tianbing achieved a breakthrough in rocket engine manufacturing with the successful development of the TH-11V, the world’s first closed-cycle, oxygen-rich staged-combustion kerosene engine utilizing 3D printing technology.

As the heart of a rocket’s propulsion system, an engine’s design and manufacturing directly determine its performance and cost. To meet the growing demands for lightweight construction, cost reduction, and rapid development, Tianbing optimized the TH-11 engine’s design from the outset to fully integrate 3D printing and low-cost materials. Through this approach, the company achieved international benchmarks in specific impulse, thrust-to-weight ratio, reusability, and recoverability.

3D printing has been widely adopted for key components including the thrust chamber, preburner, turbopump, valves, and structural assemblies. Addressing the extreme conditions of oxygen-rich staged combustion — such as high-temperature flow, heat transfer, oxidation, erosion, and vibration — Tianbing’s R&D team conducted extensive simulation and experimental validation, establishing a comprehensive design and manufacturing system optimized for 3D printing.

This innovation reduced engine part count by 80%, production cycle by 70–80%, and weight and cost by 40–50%, while achieving a thrust-to-weight ratio exceeding 100 — ranking among the world’s most advanced engines in its class.

In November 2022, the company’s TH-12 engine — a 110-ton-thrust liquid oxygen/kerosene rocket engine — successfully completed a full-system hot-fire test. Notably, large thrust chambers and pump housings manufactured through metal 3D printing were key technological highlights. The engine, developed since December 2020, features 110 tons of thrust, a specific impulse of 285 seconds, and a thrust-to-weight ratio of 163. It supports multi-mode ignition, dual-axis gimbal control, and real-time health monitoring, achieving high performance and reliability for reusable launch systems.

Industry Snapshot: 3D Printing Across China’s Commercial Space Enterprises

LandSpace: Methane Rocket Engines Enter Mass Production

On April 15, 2025, LandSpace marked a milestone as its 100th Tianque-series liquid oxygen–methane engine rolled off the production line. This achievement symbolizes the large-scale industrialization of China’s commercial rocket propulsion sector — with metal 3D printing playing a pivotal role.

Over 60% of Tianque’s components are self-manufactured, including key subsystems such as gas generators and combustion chambers, produced using BLT’s laser metal 3D printing systems. Engineers liken traditional engine manufacturing to “hand-carving ivory” — laborious and error-prone — whereas 3D printing drastically enhances reliability, reduces waste, and shortens production cycles.

GalaxySpace: 3D Printing Fuels a New Era of Satellite Manufacturing

GalaxySpace is driving a transformation from craft-based to intelligent, scalable satellite production, using 3D printing to create critical components such as high-frequency micro waveguides and high-performance antennas. This approach has tripled spatial efficiency and improved electrical performance, enabling the production of smaller, more capable satellites.

The company’s signature 3D-printed dual-cone spiral S-band antenna, designed for omnidirectional telemetry, achieves lightweight, weld-free construction, offering superior durability and precision.

Galaxy Power: Lightweight Rocket Engines via Additive Manufacturing

Private rocket manufacturer Galaxy Power is revolutionizing propulsion with additive manufacturing, cutting production time from six months to under one, and costs to one-tenth of conventional methods — while reducing engine weight by 50%. Founder Liu Baiqi describes 3D printing as the key to “pushing material performance to its limits,” uniting lightweight design with high power efficiency.

Panda3dp.com Commentary

3D printing has emerged as a core enabling technology in China’s rapidly expanding commercial aerospace industry, driving cost reduction, performance optimization, and faster iteration cycles.

While the sector’s adoption of metal additive manufacturing is progressing swiftly, several challenges remain:

1. Dependence on imported high-end 3D printing equipment and powder materials;

2. Need for greater consistency and process control in large-scale automated production;

3. Incomplete certification and testing standards that restrict large-scale deployment in flight missions.

Nevertheless, 3D printing is fundamentally reshaping China’s aerospace manufacturing paradigm, steering it toward low-cost, high-efficiency, and rapid-iteration development. With ongoing advances in materials, processes, equipment, and standards, additive manufacturing is poised to become a core competitive strength for China’s commercial space industry — and a driving force behind its ambition to become a global space power.