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Why the US-China space race could come down to a thin metal cap

In the high‑stakes space race between the United States and China, the decisive advantage could come down to a metal cap that few outside the…

By Samantha Johnson / July 15, 2026
In the high‑stakes space race between the United States and China, the decisive advantage could come down to a metal cap that few outside the industry have ever heard of: the propellant tank dome.

An ellipsoidal bulkhead several metres wide but only millimetres thick, the dome must withstand extreme internal pressures, vibration and shock. The rounded, capsule-like end cap is also very difficult to mass-produce.

Whichever country can make these components faster, cheaper and more reliably will have an advantage in building the large fleets of reusable rockets needed for the future space economy.

The race for the moon’s south pole: can China beat Nasa’s 2028 deadline?

Now, China is signalling that it may have found not one but two ways to break the bottleneck.

The flight showcased a dome made with a welding method benchmarked against SpaceX’s Falcon series but potentially faster off the production line.

At the same time, Chinese researchers have unveiled a revolutionary “cold forming” technique that can shape a complete, seamless dome in a few hours rather than a week – an advance that could tilt the balance of the US-China space race in the years ahead.

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