In a significant milestone for China's private space sector, the modified Zhuque-2 (ZQ-2) methalox rocket successfully completed its maiden flight on Wednesday. The launch took off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone located in the Gobi Desert, situated in the northwestern part of the Chinese mainland.
The rocket, codenamed ZQ-2E Y1, where 'E' stands for 'Enhanced' and 'Y1' represents the first iteration of the modified version, successfully deployed two test satellites into orbit. This achievement marks a pivotal step in advancing China's capabilities in space exploration and satellite deployment.
The developer behind this breakthrough, LandSpace, a prominent Chinese private space launch service provider, has previously launched three versions of the ZQ-2 rocket, identified as Y1, Y2, and Y3. With the successful launch of the enhanced ZQ-2E Y1, LandSpace continues to push the boundaries of innovation in the aerospace industry.
Reference(s):
China's modified Zhuque-2 methalox rocket completes maiden flight
cgtn.com
