Why SpaceX’s Chinese rivals can turn around faster if rocket launches fail

A private Chinese aerospace company’s reusable rocket blew up during a flight test on Sunday, in China’s first publicly reported landing failure of its kind.

But unlike US giant SpaceX, which might have to wait for multiple federal approvals before making another attempt for its more complex missions, Deep Blue Aerospace is already preparing for its next launch.

A follow-up flight has been scheduled for November, the start-up company said, attributing the quick rebound to China’s flexible aerospace regulations and its own comprehensive safety protocols.

At 1.40pm on Sunday, Deep Blue launched a vertical recovery flight test of its “Nebula-1” reusable launch vehicle from a site in Inner Mongolia autonomous region in northern China. The vehicle ascended and descended smoothly, but its engine shut down before landing, causing the rocket to crash and explode.