Chinaβs ‘Copycat’ Rocket Just Broke SpaceX’s Monopoly. The West Should Be Terrified.
China’s successful recovery of a reusable rocket first stage isn’t just a cheap SpaceX knockoffβit’s a strategic masterstroke. By skipping the R&D phase and copying a proven model, China is building a state-backed launch ecosystem poised to undercut the West. The monopoly on cheap space access is over, and the battle for orbital infrastructure has just begun.