Lifting off last night from the space site of JiuquanLandspace’s Zhuque-2 rocket becomes the first in the world to reach orbit with methane rocket engines ! A tour de force as all the major space powers are getting down to it, with the reusable in sight.
Zhuque-2 had missed its first flight, but this time it was successful!
Methane: not just a cow thing
Last December, the disappointment was intense for the Landspace teams. The Chinese operator, which can be described as a NewSpace startup, embarked on major work in 2018-2019, after the failure of its first solid-propelled launcher. But this time, there is no question of toeing the line, the company is developing its own rocket engine named Tianque-12, using methane and liquid oxygen for its propellants.
A particular and innovative choice, “methalox” rocket engines now being considered as solutions for the future: it is a balanced choice between kerosene and hydrogen, it is a combustion which is suitable for engines evolving towards high power and it is particularly suitable for operators who aim, in the medium or long term, for the recovery and reuse of their rocket.
Landspace was the first manufacturer in the world to launch a methalox-powered Zhuque-2 rocket in December 2022, but the launch narrowly failed due to insufficient thrust from its second-stage auxiliary engines. This time the error is corrected and on July 12, 2023 at 3:00 a.m. (Paris time), Zhuque-2 successfully reached low orbit!
The first of rope
Landspace had a lot at stake with this take-off from Jiuquan: the company, supported by fundraising, has invested a lot in recent years, and is counting on Zhuque-2 to finally garner its first income! If it manages to show the reliability of Zhuque-2 with a second successful launch, this time with a customer satellite (expected next fall or winter), the firm, like its rocket, will have a bright future.
In the meantime, here they are on the front of the stage, having overtaken on reaching orbit the giants of industry such as SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin, Relativity Space or Arianegroup, all of which are developing methane and liquid oxygen. Of course, the exact characteristics of these engines are not identical, but that does not detract from the feat of the Chinese company.
Zhuque, not just a style of music
Zhuque-2 is a launcher that incorporates several classic elements of Chinese state design (3.35m diameter stages, for example, or fairing elements), but with specific adaptations to its engines and its own dedicated launch site .
It is a powerful rocket for its range, with a capacity of 4 tons of payload in sun-synchronous low orbit, and up to 6 tons in very low orbit… it will therefore be adapted to future needs such as the deployment of constellations or the carrying heavy Chinese observation (or spy) satellites. It remains to be seen what reception and what contracts the authorities will reserve for this private launcher.
Source : Nasa
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