The Chinese private aerospace firm LandSpace successfully launched its upgraded Zhuque-2 rocket on September 15. The vehicle lifted off from the Dongfeng commercial spaceport at 14:26 local time, delivering ten satellites into their designated orbits.
These satellites are part of the 19th polar group of the Qianfan constellation, a project aimed at building a broadband satellite network. This mission marks the ninth flight for the Zhuque-2 family and the first instance of the rocket being used for mass deployment of a major internet constellation.
Zhuque-2 is notable for its liquid-propellant engines fueled by methane and oxygen. In 2023, it became the world's first methane-powered rocket to reach orbit. LandSpace is currently transitioning the upgraded version of the vehicle into regular commercial service.
The company is also developing the larger Zhuque-3 rocket, which features a partially reusable design. Engineers are currently testing technologies for the recovery and reuse of the first stage to reduce launch costs and increase the frequency of missions for satellite deployments.
