Author Topic: LandSpace's LongMarch-2 class launcher ZhuQue-2 and 70t Methalox engine  (Read 62263 times)

Offline Ultrafamicom

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On April 23rd,  Landspace announced their Methalox Medium-lift launch vehicle, Zhuque-2(Vermilion Bird-2) and its powerplant, the in-house manufactured Methalox Engine Tianque-1 (magpie-1) in the first China Astronautical Congress.

The specifications are from the presentation PPT attached below.

Delivered in 2020
2 Stages
Payload Capacity 1.5t @500km SSO
                         1.1t @700km SSO
                         3.6t @200km LEO
Length 48.8 meter
Diameter 3.35m
Lift-off mass 230t
Lift-off thrust 270t
Basically, the rocket looks like a Methalox powered, stretched CZ-2. However, the payload ratio is terrible for a methalox launcher,  even if we regard this as the reusable payload. And it looks like the rocket does not have restart capacity and requires direct insertion into SSO.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Pqfq0WLHu77dGO9YtO4vsQ (Landspace's Official Wechat page)

(edit: correct grammar and factual error)
« Last Edit: 04/24/2018 05:41 am by Ultrafamicom »

Offline Ultrafamicom

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There is no source about Tianque-1 engine, but conference attenders acquired its specification:

Cycle: GG
SL Thrust: 67.2 tonnes
SL Isp: 283s
Vacuum Thrust: 78 tonnes
Vacuum Isp: 334s
Height: <3.95m
Mass: <1.38t
Nozzle diameter: 1.52m

From the Isp curve and Nozzle diameter, it seems the nozzle is a bit over-expanded for an SL engine. Given the relatively poor performance of the whole launcher, I think it may follow Falcon 5's approach of using the same engine and nozzle for both stages, ease manufacture at a cost of performance.

Offline Comet

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Offline Lsquirrel

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On July 5,LandSpace revealed their Methalox engine and launch vehicles in Water Cube,I attended this conference and
interviewed senior engineer Yuan Yu

1 photo:TianQue engine and ZhuQue-1 solid rocket  next to the water cube
2 photo:ZhuQue-1 solid rocket(will be lauch this year for demonstration)
3 photo:TianQue Methalox early concept model
4 photo:senior research and development engineer YuanYu(袁宇)
 
« Last Edit: 07/07/2018 12:26 pm by Lsquirrel »

Offline Lsquirrel

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On July 5,LandSpace revealed their Methalox engine and launch vehicles in Water Cube,I attended this conference and
interviewed senior engineer Yuan Yu

1 photo:TianQue engine and ZhuQue-1 solid rocket  next to the water cube
2 photo:ZhuQue-1 solid rocket(will be lauch this year for demonstration)
3 photo:TianQue Methalox early concept model
4 photo:senior research and development engineer YuanYu(袁宇)

Yuan is my friend, we have known for several years.
He have joined calt11, participated in developing China LOX/LH2 engine,and attended IAC-13 conference which held in Beijing,
Now he is a critical engineer in TianQue Methalox engine development team.

We talked about Landspace, Zhu Que Launch Vehicle, especially Tian Que Engine

Landspace Have an development plan, first a solid launch vehicle, which named LS-1, it's likely a clone of Long March 11.
CASC and CASIC announced that their won't sold solid motor in 2017,Landspace had to develop indigenous liquid engine,which named Tian Que-1(now phoenix),a 8 tonne class engine



Offline Lsquirrel

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they started development of Tian Que-2 engine in August 2017
Tian Que-1/Phoenix scaled combustion chamber ignition success in March 2018
Tian Que-2(Tian Que) engine will be ignition on end of 2018, or ealy 2019 in Hu Zhou, Ze Jiang Province

Tian Que engine specifications:
Propellants: LOX/LNG
Cycle: GG
SL Thrust: 67 tonnes
Vacuum Thrust: 76/80 tonnes (Stage I/Stage II)
Vacuum Isp: 350s(Stage II)
Mass: <1.39t
Nozzle diameter: 1020mm(Stage I)/1500mm(Stage II)

Yuan told participants that TQ engine will increase thrust by 50%, reduce cost by 50% and mass by 30%, their goal is to produce 200 engines per year for 30 Zhu Que-2 LVs
« Last Edit: 07/07/2018 01:50 pm by Lsquirrel »

Offline Lsquirrel

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Zhu Que-2 is a medium launch vehicle, the baseline configration is ZQ-2,whicl LEO Payload to 200km/4000kg
they will developing a Zhu Que-2 family which include ZQ-2,ZQ-2A,ZA-2B and ZA-2C

ZQ-2 is a 2-stages launch vehicle:
Length 48.8 m
Diameter 3.35m
Lift-off mass 216 tonnes
Lift-off thrust 268 tonnes

2000kg@500km SSO
4000kg@200km LEO

ZQ-2A is a 3-stages launch vehicle, it's payload capability increased to 6 tonnes@200km LEO,Lift-off mass 225 tonnes
ZQ-2B is a 3-stages launch vehicle, which uses two additional booster cores, it's payload capability increased to 17 tonnes@200km LEO,Lift-off mass 550 tonnes
ZQ-2C is a 3-stages launch vehicle, which uses two additional booster cores, it's payload capability increased to 32 tonnes@200km LEO,Lift-off mass 870 tonnes

ZQ-2 will be reusable,the know-how is confidential now. they will demonstrated resuable technology in maiden launch,wait until 2020 or 2021
TQ and ZQ-2 designed with multiple reuses, up to 20 reuses
« Last Edit: 07/08/2018 02:07 am by Lsquirrel »

Offline jw897

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Lsquirrel, do you know where those recent pictures are from? Is there a recording of the 5 July conference?

Offline GreenShrike

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This launcher was mentioned (among others) at Spacenews (https://spacenews.com/commercial-chinese-companies-set-sights-on-methalox-rockets-first-orbital-launches/).

Interesting vehicle, if they can recover it.

268t lift-off thrust using 67t engines implies four engines. Squinting at some of the pics (ZQ-2 configs.JPG in particular), I seem to count more than that, but it's hard to tell. Regardless, four engines would make propulsive landings very sporty, unless the Tianque engines throttle very deeply indeed -- especially if they use a square engine layout with no central engine, and not a Y, which would provide one.

Perhaps their 'confidential' approach will borrow a page from BFS' layout, with smaller central landing engines nestled in the middle of the group of main engines. Reusabililty might amortize the cost of such dedicated engines.

I do find it a bit odd that they're apparently going with separate propellant tanks joined with an intertank section, when one of the benefits of using methalox is that the two propellants are so close in temperature that it's relatively easy to use a common bulkhead. I can't imagine this does any favours for their payload ratio.

Another benefit of methalox is the capacity for autogenous pressurisation; will they be pursuing this or falling back on helium? I don't see any COPVs in the graphics, but that probably doesn't mean anything.

Also, any idea what will be powering the third stage in their future three-stage variants?

Finally, was any insight provided behind their engineering choices?
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I stumbled across this on twitter. It looks like LandSpace is also planing some kind of XS-1 style reusable vehicle.

https://twitter.com/EL2squirrel/status/1015227950558478337
Quote
Landspace have a long-term plan, develop a spaceplane named Tsing Lung/Qing Long/Green Dragon, a spaceplane superior to XCOR LYNX
I tried it at home

Offline Lsquirrel

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Lsquirrel, do you know where those recent pictures are from? Is there a recording of the 5 July conference?

bingo! they are from the 5 July conference held in Water Cube

Offline Lsquirrel

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Also, any idea what will be powering the third stage in their future three-stage variants?

Tianque-1(Now Phoenix) is a 8 tonnes class methalox engine, it will be powering the third stage of ZhuQue Launch Vehicle.
while the Phoenix's pump used for vernier engine of second stage,it will be powering four vernier engines( thrust 2 tonnes,a methalox clone of CZ-2C's design)

Offline Comet

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Probably the REAL launcher

Offline SmallKing

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Offline russianhalo117

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Probably the REAL launcher
looks distinctly like a facility used by a different state corp.

Offline jw897

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Probably the REAL launcher
looks distinctly like a facility used by a different state corp.

Which facility? One of CASC's maybe?

Offline Kryten

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https://twitter.com/AJ_FI/status/1045218590641852416
Quote
Landspace tests Tianque-12 80-tonne methalox engine combustion chamber for its Zhuque-2 launch vehicle

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All these private rockets will be launched from Chinese Government-owned launch sites?

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LandSpace TQ-12 rocket engine tests

SciNews
Published on May 19, 2019

LandSpace TQ-12 is a liquid oxygen and liquid methane rocket engine (LOX+LCH4). According to LandSpace, "Tianque" TQ-12 is designed with a vacuum thrust of 80t. The company conducted a series of hot firing tests of TQ-12, the longest test lasted 20 seconds. LandSpace plans to use the TQ-12 rocket engine in the first and second stage of ZQ-2 launch vehicle (朱雀二, ZhuQue-2). According to Zhang Changwu, CEO of LandSpace, the maiden flight of the ZQ-2 rocket should take place in the next two years. LandSpace Technology Corporation (蓝箭, Blue Arrow) is a private company located in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, east China.
Credit: LandSpace/China Central Television.





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https://twitter.com/aj_fi/status/1147388805206487040

Quote
Landspace has carried out further, lengthy tests of the combustion chamber for the TQ-11 (天鹊) 10-tonne thrust methalox engine that will power the second stage of the Zhuque-2 rocket. media.weibo.cn/article?id=230…

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https://twitter.com/aj_fi/status/1153261465262075911

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Chinese private launch company Landspace has carried out full tests of its 'TQ-12' 80-tonne-thrust methalox engine which will power the 2-stage Zhuque-2 launcher, with aim of test flight in 2020. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/mNVv0Pe67Ls-…

twitter.com/aj_fi/status/1153262415691300864

Quote
Longest test was 100 seconds. Measured thrust was 667kN, chamber pressure 10.1 MPa. Below, shine bright like a (shock/mach) diamond...

https://twitter.com/aj_fi/status/1153262457156198401

Quote
Four TQ-12 engines power the first stage of Zhuque-2.

Offline Rondaz

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Will LandSpace be China’s SpaceX?

by Chen Lan and Jacqueline Myrrhe
Tuesday, September 3, 2019

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/3787/1

Offline tehwkd

Successful completion of a 200 second variable thrust test of TQ-12.


https://twitter.com/LaunchStuff/status/1188105352627118080
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twitter.com/aj_fi/status/1260520669562929152

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Landspace is continuing testing of its Tianque 80-tonne metholox engine at their facility in Huzhou, Zhejiang province. Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/t5u77_NglAaqpkB5eh3CMg

https://twitter.com/aj_fi/status/1260520671861452800

Quote
Shine bright like a shock diamond...

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https://twitter.com/aj_fi/status/1303556291755900928

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Chinese launch company Landspace announces 1.2 billion yuan (175 million USD)  in C+ round financing. Funds will provide sufficient guarantee for the development of the Zhuque-2 series of methalox rockets.
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ilAEj-W3pFvw…

Offline shijiav

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I'm curious if ZQ-2 would be the first methane-powered rocket into orbit?

Offline otter

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http://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1682851297314519806

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与星河动力为邻的蓝箭航天公司,近日公布了在核心产品研制进度方面的显著进展。作为瞄准低轨卫星发射组网市场,着力于研制低成本中大型液氧甲烷的火箭公司,其核心产品朱雀二号液体运载火箭完成了控制系统与二级游机和主推发动机的匹配性验证,拟于近期进行火箭二子级发动机联合试车,计划2021年首飞

Web translation:

LandSpace (Blue Arrow Aerospace) ... recently announced significant progress in the development of core products. As a rocket company aiming at the low-orbit satellite launch network market and focusing on the development of low-cost medium and large-scale liquid oxygen methane rocket company, its core product, the Zhuque-2 liquid carrier rocket, has completed the verification of the compatibility of the control system with the second-stage engine and the main propulsion engine. It is planned to conduct a joint test run of the second-stage rocket engine in the near future, and the first flight is planned for 2021.

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twitter.com/aj_fi/status/1332224252087570432

Quote
Landspace has this month carried out successful joint hot fire tests of the TQ-12 80-ton and TQ-11 10-ton methalox engines, a configuration for the second stage of the company's in-development Zhuque-2 launch vehicle. mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA5OT…

https://twitter.com/aj_fi/status/1332224746684035072

Quote
Landspace has also carried out vibration tests on the piping for the cryogenic, methalox first stage of the Zhuque-2. mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA5OT…

Offline newfrontiers

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LandSpace Zhuque-2 second stage test

Offline edzieba

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Is the 'TQ-11' the designation of the entire central-plus-4-vernier engine assembly (implying the verniers are fed by pumped from the gas generator), or is 'TQ-11' the designation for the verniers themselves, clustered around a TQ-12 vacuum variant? Do we know if the verniers are liquid-fed or gas-fed?

Offline newfrontiers

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twitter.com/aj_fi/status/1332224252087570432

Quote
Landspace has this month carried out successful joint hot fire tests of the TQ-12 80-ton and TQ-11 10-ton methalox engines, a configuration for the second stage of the company's in-development Zhuque-2 launch vehicle. mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA5OT…

https://twitter.com/aj_fi/status/1332224746684035072

Quote
Landspace has also carried out vibration tests on the piping for the cryogenic, methalox first stage of the Zhuque-2. mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA5OT…


Offline edzieba

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Gas generator exhaust appears to remain active while the verniers are operating but the main chamber shut down, so very likely they are fed from the main pumps (or a secondary pump on the same shaft) rather than being independent motors. That's one crazy unique engine setup!

Offline newfrontiers

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Landspace methane fueled pintle injector

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About Landspace the very good youtube channel Dongfang Hour specializing in Chinese space did an interview with Kevin Xu who is the commercial director of Landspace it's very interesting, here is the link:


And the youtube channel APSCC did an interview with Zhang Changwu the founder and CEO of Landspace, he gives a lot of information on the ambitions of Landspace, the market they target ect ... (Peter Beck from Rocket Lab and Tim Ellis from Relativity Space are also invited)
Here is the link:

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400 seconds

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Offline Steven Pietrobon

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There were some strange streaks in the exhaust during the test.
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

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mockup?

Offline Fmedici

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mockup?

Where does it come from? In theory the maiden flight of that rocket is scheduled to take place during this year.

Offline russianhalo117

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mockup?
Test article.

mockup?

Where does it come from? In theory the maiden flight of that rocket is scheduled to take place during this year.

The under construction initial launch site at WSLC or nearby location TEL, reaction frame and launch mount are shown undergoing assembly.

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7 June 2021  ;D

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gif

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vibration test

Offline Conexion Espacial

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Land Space completed its launch pad's flame trench in Jiuquan SLC.
https://twitter.com/raz_liu/status/1482288965902532611
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Land Space completed its launch pad's flame trench in Jiuquan SLC.
https://twitter.com/raz_liu/status/1482288965902532611
Satellite view of this new site and of a ZhuQue-2 (we do not know if it is a model or the one that will be used for the flight).
https://twitter.com/Harry__Stranger/status/1482971732877410308
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Land Space completed its launch pad's flame trench in Jiuquan SLC.
https://twitter.com/raz_liu/status/1482288965902532611
Satellite view of this new site and of a ZhuQue-2 (we do not know if it is a model or the one that will be used for the flight).
https://twitter.com/Harry__Stranger/status/1482971732877410308
https://twitter.com/raz_liu/status/1482591391289348098
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Offline Galactic Penguin SST



Isn't that the test rig for potential sea-launch operations at Haiyang Port, Shandong?
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Offline russianhalo117

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Isn't that the test rig for potential sea-launch operations at Haiyang Port, Shandong?
There is water behind the infrastructure however there is commonality between all of the planned launch sites in terms of launcher delivery and TEL erection at its respective pads.

Offline Rondaz

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LANDSPACE is going for reusable]

LANDSPACE recently conducted 6, 900s in total, hot fire tests of an improved version of TQ-12 methalox engine: TQ-12A, which has 9% higher thrust and 40m/s more specific impulse, and weighs 100kg less. 1 test also included restarting the engine

https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1562744572601454592

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The tests also verified throttling 50% to 100%. The press release explicitly mentions to reuse the Zhuque stages in future. Is this the first time LANDSPACE say so?

As of 07/31/2022, 37 TQ-12 engines have been built for tests & >20,000s tests conducted.

https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1562744665643724802

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https://twitter.com/aj_fi/status/1574726470139879424

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Landspace unveils upgraded, assembly Tianque-15A engine for Zhuque-2 second stage, with a reduction of 400 kg from the TQ-15 engine currently to be used. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/xQfgEuVLpB-Z…

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LANDSPACE now has an improved version of the Zhuque-2 2nd stage engine too: TQ-15A. No more vernier engines, that's 400kg less mass. 836kN thrust in vacuum 60~110% throttling ±4° dual-axial TVC same turbo pump, valves, gas generator as TQ-12A
Hot fire test is planned on Oct. 08..

https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1574744883213967360

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https://twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1575033843190362112

Quote
👀Wow. A beautiful shot of Zhuque-2 standing on LANDSPACE's launch pad at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center

twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1575036284195639296

Quote
While the first Zhuque-2 is waiting for maiden launch in Jiuquan, news reports LANDSPACE is conducting hot fire tests of engines for the 2nd ZQ-2: 100s on Sep. 26. That means the improved versions: TQ-12A and TQ-15A, will be used. guancha.cn/ChenLan/2022_0…
twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/…

https://twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1575037113635987456

Quote
No matter whether LANDSPACE can claim the title of "first orbital rocket with metholox engines", the company is making very impressive progress.
twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/…
« Last Edit: 09/28/2022 08:56 am by FutureSpaceTourist »

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LANDSPACE completed the assembly of the first new attitude control system YQ-10 and delivered it for hot fire tests.

https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1580763384189894659

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https://twitter.com/aj_fi/status/1582691527717163010

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Landspace has performed a 20-sec full-system hot fire test of TQ-15A methalox engine for Zhuque-2 2nd stage in Huzhou. TQ-15A is 400 kg lighter than the previous iteration. Landspace also confirms ZQ-2 Y1 has left the factory; no target launch date offered mp.weixin.qq.com/s/hvG5Eehro8Lx…

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https://twitter.com/cnsawatcher/status/1582969593676853248

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Commercial space company Landspace’s TQ-15A LOX-LCH4 engine successfully completed the first 20s full-system test run in Huzhou, Zhejiang. With a vacuum thrust of 836kN, it is the second stage main engine of ZQ-2 rocket. HD:

« Last Edit: 10/20/2022 06:46 am by FutureSpaceTourist »

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https://twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1584203677060866048

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👀BREAKING! We have the date of first launch of LANDSPACE's Zhuque-2. December 03, 2022, from launch site #96 of Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Mark the date!

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https://twitter.com/cnsawatcher/status/1584420549614514176

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Will this be the world’s first LOX/LCH4 rocket entering the orbit? Commercial space company LandSpace(蓝箭航天) officially set the launch time of Zhuque-2 Y1 rocket on Dec 3 at Jiuquan launch center No 96 launch spot. Source: share.api.weibo.cn/share/34338563…

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Nice photos from May this year

https://twitter.com/aj_fi/status/1521438419292983297

Quote
Landspace releases images of the Zhuque-2, suggesting its first test flight from Jiuquan is due soon. A big development: China's first private liquid rocket & could be the first methane-liquid oxygen launcher into orbit. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/kbg21jZ72CvX…

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twitter.com/harry__stranger/status/1584523088749678592

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Satellite imagery of Landspace's factory in Huzhou, China, shows that they may be expanding their footprint. A new building is rising to the south, near the structural test stand.

Imagery date: 2022-10-10.

Explore the image yourself on @Soar_Earth here: api.soar.earth/short/1242264o…

https://twitter.com/harry__stranger/status/1584523137625923584

Quote
A gif comparing the new satellite imagery with the older Google Maps imagery.

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Title of the recipient of this document hints multiple customers riding Zhuque-2's 1st launch.

Rehearsal completed by SEP.12, which has been discovered by @Harry__Stranger
 
Mission campaign starts in late October

Payloads ready for delivery by OCT.20

https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1584570311042682880

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LANDSPACE'S ZHUQUE-2 is now scheduled for December 03, while Relativity's Terran-1 faces range issues that may push its first launch into 2023. What is your pick for the first orbital rocket powered by methane now?

https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1584691519751360512

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Satellite imagery of Landspace's factory in Huzhou, China, shows that they may be expanding their footprint. A new building is rising to the south, near the structural test stand.
trim
Some info on the new building.
"Phase-II construction of the smart manufacturing base" https://www.sohu.com/a/561165893_121090399
https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1584712308424847360

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LANDSPACE has completed the first test of the new YQ-10 attitude control system for new Zhuque-2 on last Friday. The test lasted 1200s that simulated a ballistic flight condition.

https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1590551623176458240

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https://twitter.com/harry__stranger/status/1595024838925565952

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Landspace's Zhuque-2 rocket may be vertical on its launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China.

If so, this is a sign that the company is very close to launching the first methane-powered rocket to orbit.

twitter.com/harry__stranger/status/1595024852259287042

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This gif shows the transporter erector horizontal at the pad on November 19, compared to it now being vertical.

https://twitter.com/harry__stranger/status/1595024865584521216

Quote
Here's a comparison from the last time that the T/E was vertical at the pad.

At this resolution it's hard to confirm if the rocket is on the pad, but that light area right at the pad could be the rocket. Time to keep an eye out for any info!

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https://twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1595281276965072896

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👀 As the day of Zhuque-2's debut is approaching, LANDSPACE is assembling the second in their Huzhou facility.
D3.35m, H49.5m, 219 tonnes
4 TQ-12 methalox engines provide 268t thrust at liftoff. 2nd stage is equipped with 1 TQ-12 and 1 TQ-11 10t venier engine

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 ::)

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Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Current Priority: Chasing the Chinese Spaceflight Wonder Egg & A Certain Chinese Mars Rover

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Landspace's Zhuque-2 rocket is now at the launch pad of Site 96 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China :)
https://twitter.com/Harry__Stranger/status/1599698347194925057

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https://twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1599707068751314948

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🚀LANDSPACE is pioneering the first rocket powered by methane fuel, Zhuque-2, to orbit. New NOTAM indicates a potential launch time ~08:30UTC on December 10. Best Luck![/quote

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https://twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1599712543001706497

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The mission patch of LANDSPACE's first launch of Zhuque-2 #ZQ2-Y1.
Could the stars mean the payloads: one main and four secondaries? twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/…

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The stars means methane, oxygen and carbon-dioxyde-water?

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https://twitter.com/aj_fi/status/1600123888968400898

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Zhuque-2 erection test at at Jiuquan [Landspace]

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LANDSPACE Zhuque-2 #ZQ2 LAND YOUR DREAM IN SPACE

https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1600140764268269569

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LandSpace(蓝箭航天)’s Zhuque 2 Y1 rocket was lifted up on launch pad in Jiuquan, targeting Dec 14 for launch. If success, it will become the world’s first LOX/LCH4 rocket entering orbit.

https://twitter.com/CNSAWatcher/status/1601473038897266689

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About 3 days from LANDSPACE's Zhuque-2, probably the first rocket with methane fuel to reach orbit.

https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1601874548093091840

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#Landspace is going to attempt the launch of the ZQ-2 rocket (aka Zhuque-2). This is China’s 1st liquid-fueled commercial rocket, one of the first methalox-fueled rockets globally, and this could be a turning point for Chinese launch.

https://twitter.com/DongFangHour/status/1602220828439060480

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Interesting. One confirmed payload of #Landspace's ZQ-2 Y1 launch in a couple of days will be the Smart Satellite-1B (智星一号B星). This was shown on an infographic at CCAF2022 this week. Beijing Smart Satellite plans to establish a constellation of 12 commercial SAR satellites.

https://twitter.com/DongFangHour/status/1601339731635470336

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Maiden Launch in December: Can Landspace Succeed?


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It's just one and half days from the maiden launch of LANDSPACE's Zhuque-2. ~08:30UTC on DEC.14.
Coincidentally, it will be the 60th orbital launch from China in 2022.

On the same day, Long March 2D to launch another group of Yaogan-36 at ~18:28UTC

https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1602374621243768856

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Landspace’s launch in Dec could be a turning point. If the ZQ-2 is proven to be reliable, the rocket & its dedicated launch site (Jiuquan) could grab a significant piece of CN commercial launches. Their production of 4xTQ-12/mo would enable the assembly of ~9 rockets/yr in theory..

https://twitter.com/DongFangHour/status/1602220915269505024

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https://twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1602926207397306369

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👀 The China Space Station will pass over Jiuquan at ~08:40UTC, very close to the expected launch time of LANDSPACE'S ZHUQUE-2

twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1602926207397306369

Quote
In about 6 hours ...
🚀Let's GO, LANDSPACE!
🚀Let's GO, Zhuque-2!
#ZQ2
« Last Edit: 12/14/2022 06:36 am by FutureSpaceTourist »

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https://twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1615945563673096193

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The race to be the first methane fueled rocket to reach orbit is still going on. It seems LANDSCAPE has already had a failure report of Zhuque-2 Y1 on January 09 and the company confirms they will make the second orbital launch attempt of Zhuque-2 in 2023
What's your pick? 👇

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https://twitter.com/wulei2020/status/1619930890687361024

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A researcher at Chinese private company #Landspace said his team was inspired by an Ultrasonic cleaning machine for #crayfish, and solved the problem of cleaning rocket nozzle cooling channels, during the process of developing China’s first liquid oxygen-methane rocket engine.

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twitter.com/harry__stranger/status/1634928478234759169

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70cm/pixel satellite imagery taken on 2023-03-12 shows a Zhuque-2 rocket on the pad at Jiuquan SLC in China.

View the interactive version of the image here on @Soar_Earth: api.soar.earth/short/s12or722…

This could be the vehicle for flight 2 but there's also a chance it's not.
Thread:

https://twitter.com/harry__stranger/status/1634928495267827723

Quote
The ZQ-2 pathfinder vehicle had been sitting outside of the hangar for nearly a year now, however last week it disappeared (see gif).

This means there could be a chance that the vehicle out on the launch pad right now is this pathfinder.
« Last Edit: 03/12/2023 02:35 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

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https://twitter.com/harry__stranger/status/1636364909222170629

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Zhuque-2 (still unknown if pathfinder or flight vehicle) is no longer at the pad as of 03:16:41 UTC today.

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https://twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1638011433647759362

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👀 LANDSPACE just shared some photos of them busy preparing for the second launch of Zhuque-2. It sounds like they are very confident a successful launch this time.

Quote
Zhuque-2 second stage engine, which failed in the first launch attempt, in the photos ☝️

https://twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1638049562215727105

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https://twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1615945563673096193

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The race to be the first methane fueled rocket to reach orbit is still going on. It seems LANDSCAPE has already had a failure report of Zhuque-2 Y1 on January 09 and the company confirms they will make the second orbital launch attempt of Zhuque-2 in 2023
What's your pick? 👇
The Zhuque-2 beat other methalox-fueled rockets to the punch this week in reaching orbit, and LandSpace is now planning another launch of the Zhuque-2 later this year:
https://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/2023/07-12/10041691.shtml

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https://twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1681155853884473344

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LANDSPACE says they plan to deliver 2~4 Zhuque-2 rockets in 2024.

The current version measures 3.35m in diameter and 49.5m in height and has 1.5t payload capacity to 500km SSO. It will be increased to 4t for upgraded Zhuque-2 in future. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/sKgtLotjL9a9…

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https://twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1683105147508129793

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LANDSPACE is currently assembling and testing the 3rd Zhuque-2 at Jiaxing factory and it will be shipped by the end of the year

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https://twitter.com/cnsawatcher/status/1710915438694048134

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🚀LandSpace's Zhuque-2 is poised for a potential second launch in 2023. If achieved, this would mark Zhuque-2 as both the first and second methane-fueled rocket to successfully reach space. Source: buff.ly/45naYnK

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https://twitter.com/harry__stranger/status/1714617326371471428

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Satellite imagery taken on 2023-10-17 shows that Landspace has rolled the Zhuque-2 transporter/erector out to the pad at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

This may be a sign that the company is nearing the third flight of Zhuque-2.

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LANDSPACE conducted more tests of Yunque-10 kickstage sampled from a batch production, marking the engines are flight-ready. YQ-10 will be equipped in the upgraded Zhuque-2, replacing TQ-11 verniers, which failed in the maiden launch, to provide attitude control & orbit insertion

https://twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1718038695448916445

Quote
The hot fire test

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https://twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1719017146951643187

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👀 LANDSPACE's 3rd Zhuque-2 methane rocket is on its way to Jiuquan. It will carry payloads this time. Hopefully the launch can happen by the end of the year.

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5 years is racy:

https://twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1719845067782021128

Quote
LANDSPACE plans to build the capability of 100 launches and 1000t payloads to LEO per year in the next five years, says CEO ZHANG Changwu at Tencent Industrial Sci-Tech Summit on October 29

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https://twitter.com/harry__stranger/status/1721500983786926303

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The Zhuque-2 pathfinder vehicle has been rolled out to the launch pad ahead of the third launch of Landspace's orbital methane-powered rocket.

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https://twitter.com/cnspaceflight/status/1734116415081451674

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A snapshot from a LANDSCAPE video shows parts for another Zhuque-2 were by the side of Y3 which was being painted.

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https://twitter.com/raz_liu/status/1765688844580778434

Quote
TQ15A (TQ12A Vac) of Land Space delivered. The ZQ-2 batch-2 Y1 will start accembly. The batch-2 version could increase the lift to SSO to 4t. via mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Grmv4ZBID2Ny…

https://twitter.com/raz_liu/status/1765690123268862364

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 ;D

 

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