Zhuque-2
Orbital launch vehicle by LandSpace
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zhuque-2 (Chinese: 朱雀二号; pinyin: Zhūquè èr hào; lit. 'Zhuque-2', ZQ-2) is a Chinese medium-class orbital launch vehicle developed by LandSpace. It is a liquid-fuelled rocket powered by liquid oxygen and liquid methane (methalox) and was the first methane-fueled rocket to reach orbit.[1][2]
Zhuque-2E: 47.3 m (155 ft)
Rendering of Zhuque-2 | |
| Function | Orbital launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | LandSpace |
| Country of origin | China |
| Size | |
| Height | Zhuque-2: 49.5 m (162 ft) Zhuque-2E: 47.3 m (155 ft) |
| Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
| Mass | 219,000 kg (483,000 lb) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to low Earth orbit (LEO) 200 km | |
| Mass | Zhuque-2: 4,000 kg (8,800 lb) Zhuque-2E: 6,000 kg (13,000 lb) |
| Payload to Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) | |
| Mass | Zhuque-2: 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) Zhuque-2E: 4,000 kg (8,800 lb) |
| Launch history | |
| Status |
|
| Launch sites |
|
| Total launches |
|
| Success(es) |
|
| Failure | 2 |
| First flight |
|
| Last flight | 15 August 2025 |
| First stage | |
| Powered by | 4 × TQ-12 |
| Maximum thrust | 2,680 kN (273 tf; 600,000 lbf) |
| Propellant | LOX / CH4 |
| Second stage | |
| Powered by | Zhuque-2: 1 × TQ-12 Vac
1 × TQ-11 (Vernier) Zhuque-2E: 1 × TQ-15A |
| Maximum thrust |
|
| Propellant | LOX / CH4 |
Design
Zhuque-2 has a liftoff weight of 216 tonnes and uses 4 TQ-12 methalox engines in the first stage, each with a thrust of 67 tonnes-force (660 kN).[3][4] The second stage uses one vacuum-optimized TQ-12 with a thrust of 80 tonnes-force (780 kN) in combination with a TQ-11 engine (8 tonnes-force (78 kN) thrust), which acts as a vernier thruster.[5]
Zhuque-2 is capable of lifting 6,000 kg of payload into a 200 km low Earth orbit and 4,000 kg of payload into a 500 km Sun-synchronous orbit.[1][6]
History
In May 2019, LandSpace performed test firings of its liquid-methane and liquid-oxygen fuelled TQ-12 rocket engine at its test facility at Huzhou, Zhejiang province. LandSpace's head of research and development, Ge Minghe, says that the engine has a thrust of 80 tonnes-force. The Huzhou facility will be able to produce about 15 ZQ-2 rockets and 200 TQ-12 engines starting in 2022, according to CEO, Zhang Changwu.[7][8][needs update]
On 14 December 2022, LandSpace conducted the debut flight of Zhuque-2, but failed to reach orbit due to an early shutdown of its second-stage vernier engines after the second-stage main engines apparently completed a successful burn. It was the world's first orbital launch attempt by a methane-fueled launch vehicle.[9]
In March 2023, LandSpace confirmed that the second Zhuque-2 launch vehicle had completed assembly and was undergoing preparations for a launch attempt in the coming months.[10]
On 12 July 2023, Zhuque-2 became the first methane-fueled launch vehicle to reach orbit after a successful second flight.[1][11]
2E
An enhanced version of the rocket, the Zhuque-2E, successfully placed two satellites into orbit on 27 November 2024. The new version of the rocket differs from the initial variant by featuring a common bulkhead tank structure, a new TQ-15 liquid oxygen and methane engine with thrust vectoring capabilities on the second stage, and a new niobium alloy nozzle extension on the enhanced TQ-15A engine.[12]
Launch statistics
Launch outcomes & planned launches
- Failure
- Partial failure
- Success
- Planned
Launches
| Flight No. |
Rocket, serial | Date and time (UTC) |
Payload | Orbit | Launch site | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zhuque-2 Y1 | 14 December 2022 08:30[13] |
Zhixing 1B Various |
SSO | Jiuquan, Site 96 | Failure |
| Maiden Flight of Zhuque-2. Vernier engines failed during second-stage main-engine shutdown due to excessive forces damaging liquid-oxygen feed line. First launch vehicle using liquid methane propellant to reach space (100 km altitude). | ||||||
| 2 | Zhuque-2 Y2 | 12 July 2023 01:00[1] |
No payload (Flight test) | SSO | Jiuquan, Site 96 | Success |
| First launch vehicle using liquid methane propellant to reach orbit. | ||||||
| 3 | Zhuque-2 Y3 | 8 December 2023 23:39[14] |
Honghu-1 Honghu-2 Tianyi 33 |
SSO | Jiuquan, Site 96 | Success |
| First methane launch vehicle to launch payloads into orbit. Last launch of Zhuque-2, Future launches will happen on upgraded Zhuque-2E. | ||||||
| 4 | Zhuque-2E Y1 | 27 November 2024 02:00[12] |
Guangchuan 01 Guangchuan 02 |
LEO | Jiuquan, Site 96 | Success |
| Maiden flight of Zhuque-2E, featuring a second stage without vernier thrusters. | ||||||
| 5 | Zhuque-2E Y2 | 17 May 2025 04:12[15] |
Tianyi-29 Tianyi-34 Tianyi-35 Tianyi-42 Tianyi-45 Tianyi-46 |
SSO | Jiuquan, Site 96 | Success |
| Second flight of Zhuque-2E. | ||||||
| 6 | Zhuque-2E Y3 | 15 August 2025 01:17 |
GuangChuan × 4 | SSO | Jiuquan, Site 96 | Failure |
| Third flight of Zhuque-2E. Failed to reach orbit due to unspecified issue with the second stage.[16] | ||||||
| 7 | Zhuque-2E Y4 | 19 March 2026 ~4:00 |
TBD | SSO | Jiuquan, Site 96 | Planned |
| Return to flight after August 2025 failure; fourth flight of Zhuque-2E. | ||||||
