Watch the Launch

Flight 2

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Mission: Test Flight

Sun-Synchronous Orbit Launch Area 96 Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Second test flight of LandSpace's Zhuque-2 rocket with a dummy payload. This launch was the first successful use of methane/liquid oxygen-powered rocket engines for transportation to Earth orbit and beyond.

Updates

Jay • July 12, 2023, 1:17 a.m.

The vehicle experienced a spin, but achieved the primary mission objective of achieving orbit.


Jay • July 12, 2023, 1:08 a.m.

Liftoff confirmed


Cosmic_Penguin • July 11, 2023, 3:02 a.m.

Launch moved forward by 5 hours per new NOTAMs.


Cosmic_Penguin • July 7, 2023, 4:17 a.m.

Added launch time per NOTAMs.


Cosmic_Penguin • July 2, 2023, 4:55 p.m.

NET July 12.


Zhuque-2

Family:
Configuration:

Zhuque-2 is a medium-sized rocket powered by liquid oxygen and methane capable of lifting 6,000 kg of payload into a 200 km low Earth orbit, or 4,000 kg of payload into a 500 km Sun-synchronous orbit.

Specifications
  • Stages
    2
  • Length
    49.5 m
  • Diameter
    3.35 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    3.35 m
  • Launch Mass
    229.0 T
  • Thrust
    2680.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Zhuque-2
  • Family
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Zhuque-2
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
  • Low Earth Orbit
    6000.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity
    4000.0 kg

LandSpace

LandSpace

(LS)

Founder: Zhang Changwu Founded: 2015 Successes: 2 Failures: 2 Pending: 0

Agency Type:

LandSpace is a Chinese private space launch company based in Beijing. It was founded in 2015 by Tsinghua University alumni Zhang Changwu.

WIKI

Related News

Teslarati

China’s LandSpace Zhuque-2 Rocket wins methane-fueled rocket race

The world’s first methane-fueled rocket successfully reached orbit after launching on July 12th. The private, but government-funded company beat the likes of...

SpaceNews

China’s Landspace reaches orbit with methane-powered Zhuque-2 rocket

Chinese private rocket firm Landspace achieved a global first late Tuesday by reaching orbit with a methane-fueled rocket.

NASASpaceflight

LandSpace claims win in the methane race to orbit via second ZhuQue-2 launch

LandSpace launched its methane-based ZhuQue-2 rocket on Wednesday. This was the rocket’s second launch after its failed maiden flight in December 2022. Initial claims from the company noted a mission success, marking the first methalox roc…

The Launch Pad

Landspace Zhuque-2 Reaches Orbit, China Wins Methalox Space Race

China wins Methalox Space Race as Landspace, a private launch provider launches its Zhuque-2 rocket on its second ever flight. The Zhuque-2 experienced a nominal boost phase, stable orbit was confirmed, then the vehicle entered a spin.

NASASpaceflight

Launch Roundup: SpaceX to finish Starlink v1 flights – China launches methane powered ZQ-2

This week, LandSpace reached orbit on its second test flight of the ZhuQue-2 rocket; SpaceX will launch the final v1.0/v1.5 Starlink satellites on Starlink Group 5-15; India will launch the Chandrayaan-3 lunar exploration mission atop thei…

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Launch Area 96


Falcon 9
Success
1 day, 16 hours ago
Starlink Group 9-6
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 21 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 9 hours ago
BlueBird Block 1
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

First five satellites for SpaceMobile’s cellphone-compatible broadband constellation.


Soyuz 2.1a
Success
3 days, 2 hours ago
Soyuz MS-26
31/6 - Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

Soyuz MS-26 will carry two cosmonauts and one astronaut to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome i…


Falcon 9
Success
4 days, 9 hours ago
Polaris Dawn
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

First mission of the privately funded Polaris program. The goal of this mission, lasting up to five days in orbit, is to fly higher than previous Dra…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
NROL-113
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Third batch of satellites for a reconnaissance satellite constellation built by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman for the National Reconnaissance Office to…


Long March 6
Success
1 week, 2 days ago
Geely Constellation Group 03
Launch Complex 16 - Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

10 LEO communications satellites for Chinese car manufacturer Geely Automotive for testing autonomous driving/inter-vehicle communication services. T…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 2 days ago
Starlink Group 8-11
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

A batch of 21 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Vega
Success
1 week, 2 days ago
Sentinel-2C
Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV) - Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

Sentinel-2C is the third satellite in the Sentinel-2 constellation, which is designed to provide high-resolution optical imagery for land services.


Long March 4B
Success
1 week, 4 days ago
Yaogan 43 Group 02
Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

The Yaogan 43 Group 02 is a group of Chinese military “remote sensing” satellites of unknown purposes.


Falcon 9
Success
2 weeks ago
Starlink Group 9-5
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 21 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.