China’s Space Pioneer made space exploration history by successfully launching its Tianlong-2 rocket into orbit early on Sunday, April 2. The launch at 4:48 am Beijing time from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert in Inner Mongolia, China, marks the first time a liquid-fueled rocket has been launched into orbit by a Chinese aerospace company, and the first by a Chinese aerospace company. it was launched. The new company successfully reached orbit on the first try. In translation, the name of the Tianlong-2 rocket means “Heavenly Dragon-2”.

Besides leaving a mark in history, Beijing Tianbing Technology Co. Manufacturer of the Space Pioneer rocket, also known as – intended to launch a small satellite into a polar orbit around the Earth at a “fixed” position relative to the Sun. From this sun-synchronous orbit, a satellite called Ai Taikong Kexue or “Love Space Science” developed by Hunan Hangsheng Satellite Technology Co., Ltd will test its remote sensing capabilities.

“At 4:48:15 am on April 2, 2023, the Tianlong-2 Yaoyi launch vehicle, independently developed by our company, was fired and airborne at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, successfully launching the Love Space Science remote sensing satellite into the sun – synchronous orbit at an altitude of 500 kilometers. “The launch mission was a complete success,” said Beijing Tianbing Technology Co.’s (opens in a new tab) press release.

According to Space, Tianlong-2 is a three-stage rocket capable of launching 2,000 kilograms (2 tons) into low Earth orbit or 1,500 kilograms (1.5 tons) into sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 500 kilometers. Beijing company Tianbing Technology Co. said the 3.35-metre-wide and 32.8-metre-high rocket is running on coal kerosene. This allowed the rocket’s three YF-102 gas generator engines to produce 193 tons of thrust on takeoff, with a takeoff weight of 153 tons.

“The Tianlong-2 rocket uses a test mode and three straight vertical launch modes, a vehicle-mounted mobile launcher, automatic tank refueling and an autonomous guidance launcher, and is capable of launching a simple cement liquid rocket in the field, a solid foundation for large-scale launches. It is an innovative model,” wrote Beijing Tianbing Technology Co.