The aerial photograph, taken on December 10, 2023, exploded a Chinese commercially reusable rocket named SQX-2Y from the Jukuan Satellite Launch Centre in northwestern China during its second flight test mission. It shows that. (Photo/I-space/Distribution materials via Xinhua)
Based on the incredible advances achieved in recent years, Chinese commercial reusable rocket developers are poised to reach new heights.
Two of China’s major low-earth orbit satellite internet constellations, Guawan and Space Isle, aim to place tens of thousands of satellites in orbit, creating a robust market base for the country’s commercial launches It’s there.
The vast market demand serves as a powerful driving force to accelerate the wide range of applications of new technologies, materials, processes and test methods, while driving continuous innovation and breakthroughs in reusable rocket technology, and said Meng Xianbo, Chief Strategy Officer at Galactic Energy. – Base rocket developer.
Galactic Energy is currently working on two types of reusable rockets. The PALLAS-1 is a two-stage reusable rocket that fuels liquid oxygen and kerosene. At the time of release it weighs approximately 290 metric tons, allowing up to 8 tons to low Earth orbit. The rocket is scheduled to make its debut flight earlier this year and will begin commercial operations on two planned missions this year.
Based on the Pallas-1 design, the Pallas-2 rocket features a boosted low-earth orbit payload capacity of 30 tons, and is expected to close the assembly and testing this year.
Meanwhile, Landspace’s Zhuque-3 rocket completed a 10-kilometer vertical takeoff and landing recovery test last September. This mission used a single stage rocket with liquid oxygen and methane engines, marking the Chinese rockets when they first completed vertical takeoff and landing recovery.
The company has revealed that the Zhuque-3 rocket is scheduled for its first launch, with three missions scheduled for this year.
“These launches offer a total payload capacity of around 60 tons and target successful recovery of the first phase of the rocket within these three missions,” said Zhang Changwu, CEO of Landspace. .
The commercial reusable rocket SQX-2Y developed by I-Space completed vertical takeoff and landing flight tests on November 2, 2023. The second flight test mission was held on December 10th that year.
The company said that valuable data and experience gained from these two SQX-2Y flight tests contributed to major innovations in medium to long reusable liquid oxygen methane launch vehicles called the SQX-3. I’ve said that.
The SQX-3 launch vehicle is scheduled to run its first orbital launch and recovery test mission this December, according to the company.
Following recovery of the first stage, you will be undergoing maintenance and inspection before equipping the new second stage. The Rocket will then be running its first reuse flight test mission in June next year, said Ji Haibo, the company’s assistant general manager.
Construction of the maritime recovery platform for the SQX-3 Rocket’s Maiden Flight Mission began last November, JI added.
Another rocket startup, Deep Blue Aerospace, announced last year it plans to run commercial suborbital flights in 2027 using its reusable rocket Nebula 1.
The company’s first reusable launch vehicle, the Oxygen/Kerosene Fuel Nebula, completed 10 of 11 major verification tasks in its first high-altitude vertical recovery flight test on September 22 last year.
The Nebula-1 rocket will conduct extensive high-altitude recovery tests in 2025 and 2026. These tests aim to verify the feasibility and stability of the technology, and according to the company, they also accumulate important data on the ultimate orbital input and recovery.
Huo Liang, founder and chairman of the company, said advances in Rocket Reusability will reduce space travel costs and make it accessible to the public rather than maintaining niche luxury.
“We look forward to sending more people into space, stimulating more interest in space exploration, and expanding human understanding of space,” Huo added.
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