China ‘Madman of Science’ believes budget space travel is viable after low-cost rocket launch

An innovator in China has successfully launched a self-developed low-cost rocket, proving the feasibility of budget space exploration to the world.In February, the 12m Shenzhen-pioneer" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="121893" data-entity-type="organization">Shenzhen Pioneer rocket made local history in China’s remote northeastern Qinghai province, reaching a record altitude of 3,700m and setting a new regional benchmark for liquid rocket launches.Built by a five-person team led by 31-year-old Lu Yulong, the rocket took just 15 days to build in Shenzhen.Lu Yulong stands next to his rocket before the countdown to launch. Photo: SohuLu, a self-taught innovator from Jiangxi province in eastern China, has long been captivated by chemistry, high-voltage electricity and rockets.His childhood fascination began when an accidental encounter with a corrosive acid left him with severe burns but sparked a lifelong passion for science.In primary school, Lu taught himself secondary chemistry in just one year and began experimenting with explosives.In 2007, a mishap during a high-energy materials experiment at home led to an explosion.Much of Lu’s work involves the manipulation of electricity. Here he does so in his home-made laboratory. Photo: SohuLu suffered severe injuries: his left hand was fractured, his right eye’s lens shattered and his iris was damaged.He underwent over 10 rounds of surgery, received more than 400 stitches, and had his eye’s lens replaced with an artificial one.Despite his parents’ objections, Lu persisted with his research after being discharged from the hospital. His furious father reportedly destroyed his laboratory 24 times, but Lu rebuilt it each time.Lu even secretly built another lab in the countryside using iron sheets, where he studied artificially controlled lightning. During this time, he invented a speaker and received a national patent.The injuries Lu suffered in the 2007 explosion left him with different coloured eyes, above. Photo: SohuThis “Madman of Science” bears the scars of his experiments, which he considers “honourable medals”.Further ReadingAs Lu once said: “A noble cause requires a spirit of sacrifice.”In secondary school, after watching a video of foreign enthusiasts building liquid rocket engines, his dream of space exploration took root.At 17, he dropped out of school and founded Yulong Aerospace Technology in Shenzhen, setting up a research and development base in a remote rural courtyard.There, he invented the world’s first “electric flame stove”, a kitchen device that generates high-temperature plasma flames using electricity.Lu, above, pictured getting down to work on the nitty-gritty of his rocket. Photo: SohuThe invention is valued at 1 to 1.5 billion yuan (US$220 million), providing his company with significant funding for further research.In 2016, Lu launched China’s first private liquid rocket. In 2024, his “Legless Bird” sounding rocket was launched successfully, with each mission costing just tens of thousands of yuan.Lu said his goal is to reduce rocket launch costs to just one-fifth or one-tenth of current reusable rockets.His company’s liquid rocket engines reportedly cost less than 1,000 yuan (US$150) per tonne of thrust.On mainland social media, Lu shares every step of his team’s process with his 1.4 million followers, earning him the title “China’s version of Elon Musk”.While SpaceX’s 2015 launch of a rocket carrying 11 satellites sparked global discussions about private space exploration, Lu differentiates himself: “My path is different from Musk’s. I focus on low-cost, large-scale industrialisation. At least in cost control, I far surpass him.”According to Yulong Aerospace, launching a 100kg microsatellite costs just 350,000 yuan (US$50,000), whereas SpaceX’s Falcon 9, even after being reused 10 times, is still five times more expensive.Innovator Lu does some welding on the rocket, above. The inventor says his dream involves sacrifices. Photo: SohuLu’s ultimate goal is to drastically reduce space access costs and help China in developing a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network.His team plans to test a 100-tonne engine and rocket by the end of this year and start commercial launches in 2027.Also, Yulong Aerospace is set to build a super factory to support the country’s LEO satellite launches.One online observer of Lu’s story said: “His madness stems from his obsession with science. He has effectively leveraged China’s manufacturing advantages to carve out a unique path in space exploration, proving that passion and talent are the greatest competitive strengths.”