21-yr-old man sets up China's first private rocket firm

(People's Daily Online) - Beijing, July 31 - Hu Zhenyu, 21, established his own company "Link Space" which is the first private rocket launching and space services provider in China.
    And the company has received the first order this year.
    Last year, Hu's team successfully launched a homemade rocket KC-SA-TOP in Keerqinzuoyihouqi of Inner Mongolia in July. Since then, Hu has become the focus of media attention, and is widely reported as "Rocket Boy".
    Hu was not a good student in the eyes of teachers and his parents because he often fell asleep in class. But he tended to go overboard on Chemistry in high school.
    Hu joined the largest Chinese aerospace enthusiast's organization when he was a sophomore. After that, he conducted three rocket experiments; however, the first two were failed.
    His hands were wounded in the explosion.
    Hu's dangerous hobby became the top concern of his family. His parents talked to him and attempted to persuade him to give up explosive trials.
    However, failures and the resistance from family did not stop him from chasing his dream of launching private rockets.
    After years' persistence and hard work, Hu grew up from the "Rocket Boy" to the executive director of a company.
    Unprecedentedly, he led a "revolution" of domestic private capital flowing into the aerospace industry.
    Before his "Link Space", domestic rocket industry was monopolized by state-owned enterprises in China. Because of the monopoly, high development costs as well as the vague policy attitude, there was no private company in this field.
    "The company's customers are research institutions and universities," said Hu.
    Hu said that they are planning to release full products within three years. Their products will be able to fly 50 kilometers higher, load 15 kilograms more as well as 1,000,000 yuan (US$160,100) cheaper than the current rockets of the highest level on market.
    Some have compared his company with Space X, a famous private space exploration technology company originally founded by space enthusiasts in the United States. Hu forthrightly said that his company is now far behind Space X, but his is willing to develop his company and perhaps challenge Space X in future.
    Hu noted that in the U.S., there were at least 400,000 professional space enthusiasts. In contrast, the largest online forum of space lovers in China only has 40,000 registered users, among which the active members are few.
    Hu has changed a lot after he turned into an entrepreneur from an enthusiast. Expect for his inflaming passion towards space exploration, Hu has stronger sense of responsibility, planning, persistence than before.
    The man in jean cutoffs and a T-shirt looks more like a grass-root mechanic rather than an executive director of a company worth 100 million yuan (US$16million). In his spare time, Hu tries to freeze grapes in liquid oxygen with his working partners. With ultra-low temperature of minus 180 degrees Celsius, the frozen grapes glue on their tongues.
    All of these are true portrayal of Hu Zhenyu - a hardworking, adventurous and inventive young entrepreneur.