China launches 3 satellites with methane-powered "Zhuque-2" rocket
China has sent 3 satellites into space using its liquid methane-fueled "Zhuque-2" (ZQ-2) rocket.
AA
According to Xinhua, the Honghu, Honghu-2, and Tianyi-33 (TY-33) satellites were launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert.
The rocket, produced by the Beijing-based private aerospace company LandSpace, placed the three satellites into a Sun-Synchronous Orbit at an altitude of 460 kilometers above the ground.
The launch marked the second successful transport mission carried out by the Zhuque-2 rocket.
Using liquid methane as fuel and liquid oxygen as an oxidizer, the Zhuque-2 holds the distinction of being the world's first methane-powered rocket.
The rocket, which is 49.5 meters long and 3.35 meters wide, is capable of carrying a payload of up to 1.5 tons into a Sun-Synchronous Orbit.
The first launch attempt of the Zhuque-2 on December 14, 2022, was unsuccessful, after which it performed its first successful transport mission on July 12.