LandSpace is on the brink of launch the third ZhuQue-2 rocket as early as Friday, Dec. 8, at 23:40 UTC. The launch, similar to the primary two, will happen from Launch Site 96 on the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China.
Earlier this 12 months, ZhuQue-2 performed its second launch, by which the rocket successfully reached orbit. After the initial launch in December 2022, which failed because of a second-stage issue, the second launch made LandSpace the primary company on this planet to achieve orbit with a methane-based rocket platform.
The ZhuQue-2 Rocket
ZhuQue-2 (Redbird 2) is a medium-sized launch vehicle, developed by the Chinese private company LandSpace. It stands 49.5 meters tall, with a diameter of the common-in-China 3.35 meters because of transport limitations. Without delay, the rocket features the performance to hold as much as 1.5 tons to a 500km Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), with future upgrades of ZQ-2 increasing that capability to as much as 4 tons.
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ZhuQue-2 fully integrated on the pad. (Credit: LandSpace)
The primary stage of the rocket, which is decorated by the signature red bird, is powered by 4 TQ-12 liquid methane engines. The engines run on a gas generator cycle, and are, similar to the rocket, constructed with as many off-the-shelf parts as possible. Together as a module of 4, the TQ-12 engines are known as a TQ-13 first-stage engine pack.
At liftoff, the engines produce a thrust of two,680 kN, which brings the thrust-to-weight ratio of the rocket stack to about 1.22, depending on the mass of the payload. Each of the engines has a nozzle diameter at the tip of 1.5 meters, has a particular impulse at sea level of 284.5 seconds, and operates on a mix ratio of three.5 parts oxygen to methane.
![](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/F1SqVzRacAAwEFC.jpg)
4 TQ-12 engines firing on flight 2. (Credit: LandSpace)
The event of those engines hurried for a contemporary rocket, with the primary complete test firing being performed in May 2019 after just a couple of years of development. The engine was tested on the LandSpace engine test facility in Huzhou, Zhejiang. From day one, the engine was designed to be produced at a rapid pace, as LandSpace has the ambition to provide as much as 15 ZQ-2 rockets a 12 months.
The second stage still incorporates a TQ-12 engine, which is assisted by 4 TQ-11 vernier engines. It was initially expected that the third flight of the rocket may debut the TQ-15A engine module, which might eliminate the vernier engines; nevertheless, based on early statements by LandSpace, this alteration appears to be planned for further down the road.
After the second stage has performed its major burn, the 4 TQ-11 vernier will function as a kick stage after the major engine shuts down. They’ll perform the ultimate orbital insertion of the payload.
Zhang Changwu, CEO of LandSpace, told Chinese media in an interview that this launch is used to further prove the reliability of the ZhuQue-2 rocket. After the third flight, LandSpace will then transfer to a model of mass production, which is able to pave the best way for as much as 4 flights of ZhuQue-2 in 2024, and as much as 15 a 12 months in later years.
ZhuQue-2 flight 3 features no major upgrades, but does boast some improvements based on the training experiences of the primary and second flights. This includes process optimizations and adjustments to further improve the reliability and safety of the rocket. It likely also features the improvements produced from flight 1 to flight 2, which prevent one other failure of the second-to-kick stage transition.
It will not be known when LandSpace will transition to a reusable rocket down the road. The corporate is already test-firing the TQ-12A engine, which is designed for multiple first-stage relights. This capability is required for a propulsive landing approach to recovery, like what SpaceX performs with the Falcon 9 rocket.
The history of ZhuQue-2
ZhuQue-2 flew for the primary time on Dec. 14, 2022. After a flawless performance of the primary stage and second stage, the rocket failed in the course of the final moments of flight, by which the second stage shuts down and the 4 vernier engines take over the flight.
In an investigation report, LandSpace confirmed that the difficulty was a low-pressure liquid oxygen pump outer casting that broke in the course of the major engine shutdown maneuver because it was experiencing a high impact force.
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ZhuQue-2 flight 1 liftoff. (Credit: LandSpace)
Through the shutdown, a connection on the LOX inlet pipe broke, which was not properly reinforced for the heavy shutdown event. LandSpace conducted a series of tests on the bottom before flight two to confirm the fix that was implemented within the second stage.
Flight one featured a series of smaller payloads, which were all lost because of the vehicle not reaching orbital velocity. The rocket only achieved five kilometers per second, while roughly seven are needed for a stable orbit.
Flight two featured the aforementioned upgrades and lifted off on July 12, 2023. This flight went off with none issues, making the rocket the primary vehicle to achieve orbit using liquid methane as a fuel. The second flight, which was flown to an SSO similar to the primary one, didn’t feature any payloads and was solely an illustration of the return to flight.
The upcoming third launch
The preparation of flight 3 of ZhuQue-2 seemed regular from the surface. In late October, the corporate confirmed on Chinese social media that the rocket had left the factory and was on its option to Jiuquan.
At the identical time, ground testing on the pad was already underway, because the pathfinder was rolled out to the pad just days later. This pathfinder structure has to this point at all times been utilized by LandSpace ahead of a flight to confirm the pad and systems ahead of the particular rocket. Harry Stranger confirmed the pathfinder to be vertical on Nov. 11 using satellite footage.
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Satellites on top of ZhuQue-2 Y3. (Credit: LandSpace
Initially, the rocket had a launch planned for Dec. 5; nevertheless, a Chinese travel agency confirmed the launch slipped to Dec. 7 just a couple of days later.
On Dec. 1, Harry Stranger acquired one other satellite picture showing the third set of flight hardware rolling out to Pad 96 at Jiuquan. Just days later, the rocket was confirmed vertical and the sponsor for the mission was announced. It features decals from the toy company Pop Mart, that are featured on the body of the vehicle.
Released photos of the rocket show multiple satellites being integrated onto the vehicle as well. Nevertheless, as of now, the corporate has not detailed which payloads are being launched on the rocket for the third flight. Based on published photos, evidently there is perhaps 4 or more payloads.
The NOTAM for the mission lasts 82 minutes and, based on previous flights, indicates a launch time of around 23:45 UTC.
The Way forward for LandSpace
In the long run, LandSpace plans to evolve ZhuQue-2. A stretched version with upgraded engines, tanks, and a bigger payload fairing, called ZQ-2A, is in development. This rocket can be planned to feature 3- and 5-core variants called ZQ-2B and ZQ-2C, respectively.
Based on the 9% thrust increase of TQ-12A to about 2,921.2 kN per core, the three-core variant would boast a thrust of 8.7 meganewtons, and the five-core variant would feature 14.6 meganewtons.
👀 Introducing Zhuque-3
Keywords: reusable, methane, stainless-steel, 20t expended, >16.5t landing on ship, >11t landing on land, 9 TQ-12A engines (?)
Source: https://t.co/IvVnxhG3T3 https://t.co/PPH21TAzLI pic.twitter.com/L6iQOkVzSR— China ‘N Asia Spaceflight 🚀𝕏 🛰️ (@CNSpaceflight) November 21, 2023
After ZhuQue-2, LandSpace plans to develop a reusable stainless-steel rocket called ZhuQue-3. This rocket would feature the aptitude to launch 20 tons of payload in an expendable configuration, and 16.5 tons when landing on a barge. If completely returned to the launch site, it might have the option to lift greater than 11 tons.
To date, LandSpace has not communicated a timeline for these development steps. Nevertheless, it has shown prior to now that it could achieve rapid rocket development, despite the fact that ZhuQue-2 slipped two years from 2020 to 2022.