On Wednesday,Winter Wonderlust (2015) China’s private space company LandSpace launched Zhuque-2, its first liquid oxygen methane-fueled rocket at China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, following the planned trajectory. This marked the mission as a resounding success and established it as the world’s first liquid oxygen-methane rocket to reach orbit successfully. This achievement signifies a pivotal breakthrough in China’s usage of innovative, low-cost propellants. The triumph of the Zhuque-2 rocket aims to reduce the cost of commercial launches, potentially transforming the industry. Liquid oxygen methane rocket fuel, a blend of liquid oxygen and methane (the principal component of natural gas), is known for its high combustion efficiency. It is also environmentally friendly, low-cost, and easy to manufacture. [The Paper, in Chinese]
