Dec. 14, 2022, 8:22 a.m. - Dec. 14, 2022, 10:44 a.m.
First flight of the new methalox rocket developed by Chinese startup LandSpace.
Zhuque-2 is a medium-sized rocket powered by liquid oxygen and methane capable of lifting 6,000 kg of payload into a 200 km low Earth orbit, or 4,000 kg of payload into a 500 km Sun-synchronous orbit.
LandSpace is a Chinese private space launch company based in Beijing. It was founded in 2015 by Tsinghua University alumni Zhang Changwu.
WIKINo one has yet stepped forth to win the great methane rocket race.
Chinese launch company Landspace suffered failure Wednesday in what was the world's first attempt to achieve orbit with a methane-fueled rocket.
"We need some adult supervision there to actually help these guys."
Landspace is preparing for a test launch of its Zhuque-2 rocket in what could be a marker for the progress being made by Chinese commercial launch companies.
Newly-developed orbital and suborbital launch vehicles are being readied for test flights at the Jiuquan spaceport as China’s efforts to foster a commercial space sector advance.