Chinese space agencies achieved a fresh benchmark this week by evaluating a recoverable rocket. Their aspiration is to utilize this rocket to contend with the United States, Japan, and other nations in the competition for space leadership.
On the mentioned Monday, LandSpace, a Chinese enterprise, conducted a stationary ignition test with its Zhuque-3 rocket launcher, measuring 217 feet in height. This rocket is progressing toward its initial experimental flight, anticipated to occur sometime later in the current year.
“Subsequently, the vehicle is scheduled to undergo planned vertical integration rehearsal, before being moved back to the technical area for examination and upkeep as it gets ready for its forthcoming orbital deployment and initial stage retrieval,” detailed representatives from LandSpace through social media channels.
The static ignition assessment of the stainless steel space rocket is a routine pre-launch procedure where the rocket is secured to the launchpad while its engines are activated.
The trial happened in the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot area, situated in northwest China.
The Zhuque-3 has the capability to transport over 40,000 pounds, roughly equivalent to the payload capacity of the Falcon 9, manufactured by SpaceX, an entity owned by Elon Musk. That rocket is reportedly able to lift slightly more, exceeding 50,200 pounds.
The Chinese administration communicated its objective nearly a decade prior to attain a position among the top 3 global aerospace powers by the year 2030.
In July of 2023, LandSpace, based in Beijing, successfully launched its Zhuque-2 rocket, which stands at 164 feet, from China’s Jiuquan launch facility in its first attempt to launch a rocket powered by methane.
China initiated its Tianwen-2 space endeavor in May, purposed to gather asteroid specimens and perform an investigation of a main-belt comet.
In April, less than a month later, the Chinese space organization dispatched three of its astronauts to the Tiangong space station for a six-month assignment.
Sourse: www.upi.com
