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China’s private aviation company LandSpace conducted the first vertical takeoff and landing test of its self-developed multi-stage ZQ-3 rocket, which operates on liquid oxygen and methane. According to
According to Ukrinform, Global Times reported on this matter.
During the tests carried out at the Jiuquan Cosmodrome in the northwestern province of Gansu, the test rocket stayed in the air for about 60 seconds, rose to an altitude of 320 meters and landed precisely at the targeted landing point.
The development company stated that the tests confirmed the compatibility of the rocket control system and the throttle motor and the algorithm that will direct it to the landing site. Subsequent tests will test the test rocket’s ability to climb higher and land at designated locations.
The reusable stage used in the tests is a single-stage rocket with a length of 18.3 m, a diameter of 3.35 m, a launch mass of 50.3 tonnes and a takeoff thrust of 68 tonnes. It is equipped with three sets of two-stage bumper landing supports capable of holding a mass of up to 50 tons.
ZQ-3 is China’s first reusable launch vehicle powered by liquid oxygen and methane, and is made of high-temperature resistant stainless steel, which can greatly reduce the cost and time of launch preparations. The first commercial flight of the aircraft, which was introduced last December, is planned to be made in 2025.
It is assumed that the first stage of the rocket can be used at least 20 times. At the same time, it will not need to be checked for a new mission after the next launch, only refueling, reducing the launch cost by up to 90% compared to conventional launch vehicles.
The ZQ-3 has a length of 76.6 m, a diameter of 4.5 m, a launch weight of 660 tonnes and is capable of lifting more than 21 tonnes into Earth orbit.
Several Chinese private aviation companies conducted their own vertical takeoff and landing tests of reusable test rockets last year.
One of them, iSpace, announced in December that flight tests were completed and its Hyperbola-2 launch vehicle was ready for commercial use.
CAS Space, another company partially owned by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, successfully launched and landed its own experimental rocket on a offshore platform in the East China Sea in April.
As reported by Ukrinform, the Japanese landing module SLIM (Smart Lander for Lunar Exploration) landed on the moon on Friday, but its operation is still in doubt.
Photo: Courtesy of LandSpace
Source: Ukrinform
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