China’s LandSpace Achieves Milestone with First Reusable Rocket
Video footage shared by LandSpace displayed the 66-meter-tall booster ascending from a location near the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Featuring a 4.5-meter core and a liftoff weight of roughly 560 tons, the rocket is engineered for cost-effective, frequent missions and is expected to fly at least 20 times. Once fully operational, it will be able to transport a minimum of 18 tons to low Earth orbit while returning its first stage for reuse.
The Zhuque-3 is equipped with nine methane engines in its initial stage and a single vacuum engine in the second stage. In contrast to conventional kerosene-powered rockets, methane engines burn cleaner and can execute deep-throttle maneuvers required for precise landings. Only a few rockets worldwide, such as SpaceX’s Starship, utilize methane, and China had never previously launched a reusable methane-powered craft into orbit before this mission.
LandSpace developed the rocket for swift production and repeated launches, incorporating stainless-steel tank structures and other weight-reduction measures to lower manufacturing costs and accelerate construction time.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
