A Chinese state-owned company has successfully completed a short test launch and landing of a reusable rocket.
Kuizhou reuse technology test rocket It took off from a test facility pad on January 26, hovering in the air for nine seconds before landing on the airfield. Flight time was 22 seconds.
The test was conducted by Expace, also known as CASIC Rocket Technology Company, which operates under CASIC, a giant Chinese state-owned defense and space contractor. CASIC plays a part in China’s national space industry, but aims to develop its own launch services separately from its sister company CASC, which is responsible for China’s space industry. long march rocket.
Related: Watch Chinese startup Landspace launch and land its first reusable rocket prototype (video)
Expace is famous for its consumables Kaishu solid rocket, has already conducted two orbital launches this year. But the company said it has added reusable methane liquid oxygen rockets to its ambitions in recent years.
Footage from a quick hop test last month posted through Expace’s WeChat channel shows a prototype rocket with its landing legs pre-deployed and possibly attached to a crane. The connecting cable may come loose during the test.
“This successful test has laid a solid foundation for the development of the Kuaizhou series of reusable liquid oxygen methane launch vehicles,” Expace said in a press statement. statement.
Expace provided few details about the test. He did not disclose the engine used, nor did he provide any plans or schedule for future rocket tests. However, the company is conducting high-temperature combustion tests on various methane engines under development.
🔥 CASIC ExPace has completed a 200-second high-temperature combustion test of the reusable 70-ton thrust MingFeng-2 Metrox engine. The previously tested MingFeng-1 is small and provides 100kN of thrust. https://t.co/PnkJEa4Vto https://t.co/gMcAhFIVwv pic.twitter.com/lKhmZtW6jUNovember 4, 2023
The test is the latest in a series of “hops” by various companies in China. The country’s government opened up the space sector to private capital in 2014, and a number of new companies have sprung up. Many of these are currently launching or close to launching reusable liquid-fueled rockets.
iSpace is based in Beijing. A pair of long-term high-altitude tests Late last year, during the latter test, the vehicle was moved to another landing target.This is his Landspace, which is also a startup. Conducting our own hop test In January of this year, a stainless steel methane prototype rocket reached an altitude of 1,150 feet (350 meters) in Jiuquan. Landspace aims to launch a complete version of his Zhuque-3 rocket – its first stage will be space xFalcon 9 — 2025.
Another state-owned spin-off, CAS Space, aims to launch reusable products. Kinetica-2 The rocket was launched in 2025, using a jet-powered prototype to test the guidance, navigation, and control systems needed to land the rocket.
For-profit company Galactic Energy I ran a similar test last summer. The company aims to carry out the first launch of its kerosene/liquid oxygen rocket, Paras-1, in the second half of this year. Although it will be a disposable flight, Galactic Energy aims to land and reuse the first stage in the future.