| Zhuque-2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Function: | Orbital launch vehicle | ||||||||||||||||
| Manufacturer: | LandSpace | ||||||||||||||||
| Country-Origin: | China | ||||||||||||||||
| Stages: | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Capacities: |
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| Status: |
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| Sites: |
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| Fail: | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| First: |
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| Last: | 8 December 2023 | ||||||||||||||||
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Zhuque-2 (ZQ-2) is a Chinese medium-class orbital launch vehicle developed by LandSpace. It is a liquid-fuelled rocket powered by liquid oxygen and liquid methane (methalox) and was the first methane-fueled rocket to reach orbit.[1] [2]
Zhuque-2 has a liftoff weight of 216 tonnes and uses 4 TQ-12 methalox engines in the first stage, each with a thrust of 67t-f.[3] [4] The second stage uses one vacuum-optimized TQ-12 with a thrust of 80t-f in combination with a TQ-11 engine (8t-f thrust), which acts as a vernier thruster.[5]
Zhuque-2 is capable of lifting 6,000 kg of payload into a 200 km low Earth orbit and 4,000 kg of payload into a 500 km Sun-synchronous orbit.[1] [6]
In May 2019, LandSpace performed test firings of its liquid-methane and liquid-oxygen fuelled TQ-12 rocket engine at its test facility at Huzhou, Zhejiang province. LandSpace's head of research and development, Ge Minghe, says that the engine has a thrust of 80 tonnes-force. The Huzhou facility will be able to produce about 15 ZQ-2 rockets and 200 TQ-12 engines starting in 2022, according to CEO, Zhang Changwu.[7] [8]
On 14 December 2022, LandSpace conducted the debut flight of Zhuque-2, but failed to reach orbit due to an early shutdown of its second-stage vernier engines after the second-stage main engines apparently completed a successful burn. It was the world's first orbital launch attempt by a methane-fueled launch vehicle.[9]
In March 2023, LandSpace confirmed that the second Zhuque-2 launch vehicle had completed assembly and was undergoing preparations for a launch attempt in the coming months.[10]
On 12 July 2023, Zhuque-2 became the first methane-fueled launch vehicle to reach orbit after a successful second flight.[1] [11] [12]
| Rocket, serial | Flight number | Date (UTC) | Payload | Orbit | Launch site | Outcome | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zhuque-2 | Y1 | 14 December 2022 08:30[13] | Various | SSO | Jiuquan, Site 96 | Second-stage vernier engines failed during second-stage main-engine shutdown due to excessive forces damaging liquid-oxygen feed line. First launch vehicle using liquid methane propellant to reach space (100 km altitude). | ||
| Zhuque-2 | Y2 | 12 July 2023 01:00 | No payload (Flight test) | SSO | Jiuquan, Site 96 | First launch vehicle using liquid methane propellant to reach orbit. | ||
| Zhuque-2 | Y3 | 8 December 2023 23:39[14] | Honghu-1 Honghu-2 Tianyi 33 | SSO | Jiuquan, Site 96 | First methane launch vehicle to launch payloads into orbit. |