The Chinese commercial launch firm Landspace prepares for the first flight of its Zhuque-3 rocket, with a debut launch aimed at the last quarter of 2025.
Zhuque-3 is a stainless steel rocket With a first reusable stage that Landspace Hopes can gain contracts to launch satellites for China Megaconstellation projects. The company carried out Launch and landing tests Last year, with one of the hops that reaches around 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) at altitude before executing a descent and safe landing.
The first Zhuque-3 stage is driven by nine methane oxygen engines-12a of methane self-destroyed to the earth. The company carried out a 45 -second hot fire test of the first stage last month, firing successful the nine sequence engines.
The successful test has now raided the way for a first orbital launch in the last quarter of 2025, according to a CCTV report.
Zhuque-3, which bears the name of the Bird Bermillion of Chinese mythology, is designed to transport up to 40,350 pounds (18,300 kilograms) to Low terrestrial orbit (Leo) in a reusable way. The first Zhuque-3 rockets will remain around 217 feet (66 meters) high, before it extends for around 33 feet (10 m) and will be updated with Tianque-12B engines.
The rocket could mark a great advance for Chinese reusable pitchers and also increase the country’s general capabilities. In comparison, the current most powerful rocket in China is the expendable Long march Rocket of series 5, which can transport around 55,100 pounds (25,000 kg) to Leo. Spacex is reusable Falcon 9Meanwhile, you can transport around 50,265 pounds (22,800 kg) to Leo, according to your Specifications page.
Landspace is one of China’s first rocket commercial companies. His first launch, with the solid Zhuque-1 propeller, failed in his first and only launch in 2018, with the company turning to focus on the methane-liquid oxygen propeller Zhuque-2. That rocket, in July 2023, would become the first rocket using this mixture of propellants to reach orbit.
The Zhuque-3 faces several competitors, with commercial counterparts Pioneer” ISPACIO” Galactic energy and Orns spaceas well as the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. of state property, among those who work in their own reusable rockets.
