Space: China has launched improved methane -burning rocket – raises competition with USA
An important achievement was made by the Chinese Space Company Landspace Technology, which sent six satellites to orbit. The rocket that transported them used methane as a fuel. The private space company hopes that this cheap and considered clean fuel will help it develop reusable missiles.
China has made huge advances in space technology and aspires to send astronauts to space soon. The flight of the Zhuque-2e Y2 transportation in space from the Jiuquan satellite launch center in northwestern China was the fifth flight for the series of these rockets. Landspace is the first company in the world to launch a rocket with methane fuel and liquid oxygen in July 2023. It was thus ahead of its American competitors, such as SpaceX Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos’ blue origin.
With a look at the future
In recent years, the interest in methane has increased in the space industry for transportation. Methane is considered less polluting, safer and cheaper than hydrocarbon fuel, and can be used in reusable rockets.
Landspace today’s flight culminates in competition to create a constellation of satellites as an alternative to Elon Musk’s Starlink.
Satellite in space
In 2023, the first successful launch with methane did not carry any real satellite. But the second, in December of the same year, sent three satellites to orbit.
Six satellites
The six -satellite satellites were developed mainly by the Chinese company Spacety, also known as the Changsha Tianyi Space Science Research Institute. It was a satellite radar (for meteorological observation), two multi -spectral satellites (environmental observation and detection) and three satellites for scientific experiments to explore the deep space.
Reusable missiles
The reusable missiles, which was pioneered by SpaceX, have shown that they can reduce the costs for launch vehicles and space transport. Landspace founder and CEO, Jang Changu, said the company has begun the development of reusable rockets and is expected to launch in the second half of 2025.
The latest model in the Zhuque-2 series, which burns methane, includes technical improvements to help achieve the company’s goal to launch a reusable rocket. This is because in this launch a method was developed involving the cooling of liquid oxygen and methane beneath their boiling points. This enhances the impulse.
