24/7 Space News
ROCKET SCIENCE
LandSpace to launch methane-propelled rocket
stock image only
LandSpace to launch methane-propelled rocket
by Staff Writers
Beijing, China (SPX) Jul 11, 2023

LandSpace, a leading private rocket maker in China, will soon carry out the second launch of its ZQ 2, the world's first methane-propelled carrier rocket, at a launch facility in the Gobi Desert.

The rocket was transported to its service tower at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China on Thursday, and would go through final function checks, LandSpace said on Friday, noting the launch mission will take place in coming days.

The maiden flight of the ZQ 2 model happened in December at the Jiuquan center. The rocket successfully crossed the Karman Line, the globally recognized boundary between Earth's atmosphere and the edge of space, but malfunctioned in its second stage and failed to reach orbit.

The Chinese model has been in a close race with Relativity Space's Terran 1 and SpaceX's Starship to be the first methane-based rocket in orbit.

According to LandSpace, the 49.5-meter ZQ 2 has a diameter of 3.35 meters - the same as those of most of China's Long March-series rockets, a liftoff weight of 219 metric tons and a launch thrust of 268 tons.

The vehicle will be capable of placing a 4-ton satellite into a typical sun-synchronous orbit about 500 kilometers above the Earth, or a 6-ton satellite to a low-Earth orbit with an altitude of 200 km.

The rocket's main propulsion system - TQ-12 - is the first methane engine in China. Before LandSpace, only a handful of US companies had developed such engine.

Compared with traditional types of rocket engines that can function only once, a methane engine is reusable and more environmentally friendly.

LandSpace is making the ZQ 2 and its engines at its plant in Huzhou, Zhejiang province, the first privately owned carrier rocket factory in China and the largest of its kind in Asia.

Related Links
LandSpace
Rocket Science News at Space-Travel.Com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
ROCKET SCIENCE
Orbex expands facilities in preparation for UK Mainland's First Vertical Rocket Launch
Forres UK (SPX) Jul 11, 2023
K-based spaceflight company, Orbex, has extended its footprint by over thirty percent across its Scottish and Danish design and production facilities, in preparation for the launch of its Prime rocket. The company is adding an extra 1,500 square metres of factory and office space to its existing 4,750 square metre estate in Forres, Scotland and Copenhagen, Denmark. The additional space will increase the company's launch vehicle production and propulsion system manufacturing capacity and add an ext ... read more

ROCKET SCIENCE
NASA expands task orders for spacewalking, moonwalking suits

Winning spacesuit designs

NASA expands options for spacewalking, moonwalking suits, services

Space Act Agreement with NASA will advance UArizona engagement in human spaceflight

ROCKET SCIENCE
Canadian student rocketry group reaches new heights with Spaceport Nova Scotia's first launch

Southern Launch reveals new logo and branding

SpaceX's Falcon 9 first-stage booster breaks the record on its 16th flight

LandSpace to launch methane-propelled rocket

ROCKET SCIENCE
Planning Take Two: Sols 3885-3886

First CHAPEA Crew Begins 378-Day Mission

Martian dunes eroded by a shift in prevailing winds after the planet's last ice age

Sols 3882-3884: Weekend Routine for a Red Rover

ROCKET SCIENCE
China Aerospace Foundation and Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization Sign Cooperation MOU

Tianzhou 5 reconnects with Tiangong space station

China questions whether there is a new moon race afoot

Three Chinese astronauts return safely to Earth

ROCKET SCIENCE
Commanding role for Andreas in space

JUPITER 3 arrives at Cape Canaveral for launch

Saudi Space Commission holds several meetings with Chinese space companies

ITU Radio Regulations Board approves waiver for Rivada LEO constellation

ROCKET SCIENCE
High-Velocity Impacts Explored in Experimental Study

Solving the RIME deployment mystery

iQPS initiates a full-scale study to leverage SkyCompass-1 optical data relay service

Microsoft-Activision deal back on track after US court win

ROCKET SCIENCE
Study increases probability of finding water on other worlds by x100

'Sandwich' discovery offers new explanation for planet formation

'Like a mirror': Astronomers identify most reflective exoplanet

Astronomers discover elusive planet responsible for spiral arms around its star

ROCKET SCIENCE
First ultraviolet data collected by ESA's JUICE mission

Unveiling Jupiter's upper atmosphere

ASU study: Jupiter's moon Europa may have had a slow evolution

Juno captures lightning bolts above Jupiter's north pole

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.