The manufacturing of aerospace rocket engines has almost entirely shifted to additive manufacturing (3D printing), with yet another recent aerospace project being implemented.
Jinggang Holding Co., Ltd. of Jiangsu recently announced the bid-winning results for metal 3D printing equipment. In August, the company publicly invited tenders for a metal 3D printing project, which included 400mm metal 3D printers, 600mm metal 3D printers, 800mm metal 3D printers, and 1000mm metal 3D printers, among others.
According to the bid-winning results, Laser Minds won the additive manufacturing equipment and supporting procurement project for the Aerospace Information & Control Industrial Park (400mm metal 3D printer) with a winning bid of 2.85 million yuan. Bright Laser Technologies won the additive manufacturing equipment and supporting procurement project for the Aerospace Information & Control Industrial Park (600mm metal 3D printer) with a winning bid of 4.27 million yuan. Farsoon won the additive manufacturing equipment and supporting procurement project for the Aerospace Information & Control Industrial Park (800mm metal 3D printer) with a winning bid of 6.46 million yuan. Laser Minds won the additive manufacturing equipment and supporting procurement project for the Aerospace Information & Control Industrial Park (1000mm metal 3D printer) with a winning bid of 10.52 million yuan.
The tendering entity, Jiangsu Jinggang Holding Co., Ltd., is a subsidiary of the Jingjiang Port Group. However, research by Antarctic Bear reveals that these large-format metal 3D printing systems are primarily intended for manufacturing rocket components. The project name references the Aerospace Information & Control Industrial Park, which is being invested in and constructed in Jingjiang by Information & Control Aerospace Propulsion Technology (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. On August 16, 2024, the commencement ceremony for the first phase of the Aerospace Information & Control Rocket Propulsion Industrial Park was grandly held in the Jingjiang Economic and Technological Development Zone. The base occupies a total of 281 mu (approximately 18.7 hectares) and plans to construct 210,000 square meters of facilities. These will primarily include rocket engine assembly, thrust chamber assembly, turbopump assembly and testing, inspection and testing, final integration and delivery, additive manufacturing comprehensive processing workshops, as well as R&D, testing and verification, power centers, and a mission control hall.
In September 2025, the main structure of the first phase of the XinKong Rocket Propulsion Industrial Park in the Jingjiang Economic and Technological Development Zone, Taizhou, Jiangsu, was topped out. It is expected to be completed and operational by December 2026. Upon full operation, the project will achieve an annual production capacity of 150 reusable 100-tonne class liquid oxygen/kerosene rocket engines, establishing itself as the largest civilian liquid rocket propulsion manufacturing base in East China.
Featured Product Overview: TF-10 Rocket Engine
The TF-10 is a 100-tonne thrust, reusable commercial liquid oxygen/kerosene rocket engine utilizing a gas generator cycle. It is developed based on mature aerospace rocket engine technology, selecting applicable solutions to achieve characteristics of low cost, high reliability, non-toxicity, maintainability, high thrust, reusability, modularity, and commercial viability, meeting the requirements for reusable commercial liquid rockets and rapid launch capabilities.
The TF-10 engine also boasts technical advantages such as non-hypergolic propellant ignition, forced start-up, wide thrust throttling range, mixture ratio adjustment, and performance tuning. It features a high-efficiency, stable-combustion thrust chamber with medium chamber pressure, reliable cooling, a high-efficiency turbopump for pressurization, and a dynamic design and control system for the high-thrust pump-mounted gimbal mechanism. The engine utilizes new materials, and its core large components are fully manufactured using 3D additive manufacturing. This engine will significantly increase the thrust-to-weight ratio of the rocket while enabling the recovery and reuse of both the first and second stages. It aims to create a competitive commercial rocket against the Falcon 9, entering the international commercial launch services market.
The TF-10 rocket engine's adoption of full 3D additive manufacturing for its core components represents not just a leap in key performance metrics like thrust and reusability, but also a direct challenge in the international market against competitors like the Falcon 9. This achievement is a direct result of the deep integration between "3D printing technology" and "aerospace manufacturing demands." Looking ahead, with the Aerospace Information & Control Industrial Park scheduled to begin operations in 2026, we have reason to believe that the domestic metal 3D printing industry will find even broader application scenarios within the aerospace sector. Empowered by "intelligent manufacturing," China's commercial aerospace industry is poised to secure a more significant position in the global launch services market. This synergy between technology and industry is ultimately set to mark a pivotal chapter in the autonomy and internationalization of China's high-end manufacturing.
