Zhuque-2

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.

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 .Advanced rocket engine ready for space mission May 2019 The second stage uses one vacuum-optimized TQ-12 with a thrust of in combination with a TQ-11 engine ( thrust), which acts as a vernier thruster.

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.Zhuque-2 Y2 is only capable of lifting 1,500 kg of payload into a SSO yet.

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.Advanced rocket engine ready for space mission, Space Daily, 2019-05-21.

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.

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.

On 12 July 2023, Zhuque-2 became the first methane-fueled launch vehicle to reach orbit after a successful second flight.

Variant Zhuque-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.

ZQ-2E (Block 2) The Zhuque-2E (Y5), launched on 14 May 2026, is the first of the Block 2 subvariant of the launch vehicle. Various improvements were included on the Block 2 variant which allow the launch vehicle to reach its full designed capabilities such as lifting to Low Earth orbit and to a 500 kilometre SSO orbit. Improvements over the base ZQ-2E include: lengthened first-stage tanks, full subcooled propellant loading, a three-ignition second stage allowing orbital disposal, and an accelerated launch campaign and launch cycle. According to Spacenews.com, the 14 May 2026 article wrote, "...launch successfully inserted a 2,800-kilogram customized payload described as a 'large-scale constellation deployment experiment' into a 900-kilometer polar orbit, ... The mission demonstrated high-mass payload launch capability and readiness for multi-satellite launch services, the company said in a post-launch statement, as it looks to secure launch contracts from China’s megaconstellation projects."

Launch statistics Launch outcomes

Launches

FlightNo. Rocket, serial Date andtime (UTC) Payload Orbit Launch site Outcome 1 Zhuque-2 Y1 14 December 202208:30 Zhixing 1BVarious SSO Jiuquan, Site 96 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 202301:00 No payload (Flight test) SSO Jiuquan, Site 96 First launch vehicle using liquid methane propellant to reach orbit. 3 Zhuque-2 Y3 8 December 202323:39 Honghu-1Honghu-2Tianyi 33 SSO Jiuquan, Site 96 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 202402:00 Guangchuan 01Guangchuan 02 LEO Jiuquan, Site 96 Maiden flight of Zhuque-2E, featuring a second stage without vernier thrusters. 5 Zhuque-2E Y2 17 May 202504:12 Tianyi-29Tianyi-34Tianyi-35Tianyi-42Tianyi-45Tianyi-46 SSO Jiuquan, Site 96 Second flight of Zhuque-2E. 6 Zhuque-2E Y3 15 August 202501:17 GuangChuan × 4 SSO Jiuquan, Site 96 Third flight of Zhuque-2E. According to Landspace, a voltage issue in the second stage triggered the activation of the launch vehicle's self-destruct system resulting in the loss of the vehicle and the satellites. 7 Zhuque-2E Y5 14 May 202603:00 Experimental test mass SSO Jiuquan, Site 96 Return to flight mission. Fourth flight of Zhuque-2E; first flight of ZQ-2E (Block 2) with lengthened first stage and improved takeoff thrust. 8 Zhuque-2E Y6 9 June 202608:23 Qianfan DTC 01China Mobile 02 SSO Jiuquan, Site 96 Second flight of ZQ-2E (Block 2). Upper stage broke apart shortly after separation. 9 Zhuque-2E Y7 15 September 202606:26 Qianfan Jigui Group 19 SSO Jiuquan, Site 96 10 satellites for the Thousand Sails megaconstallation.

Zhuque-2

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