LandSpace

LandSpace Technology Corporation (doing business as LandSpace) is a Chinese commercial space launch provider based in Beijing. It was founded in 2015 by Zhang Changwu.

In July 2023, the company's Zhuque-2 rocket became the world's first methane-fueled launch vehicle to reach orbit after its successful second flight. LandSpace plans to conduct three Zhuque-2 launches in 2024 and six in 2025.

Landspace Technology Corporation was established in 2015, after a Chinese government policy change in 2014 that allowed private capital into the space industry. Since its founding, the company has established several aerospace infrastructure sites in Zhejiang, including a $1.5 billion medium and large-scale liquid rocket assembly and test plant in Jiaxing and an intelligent manufacturing base in Huzhou.

LandSpace developed its first launch vehicle Zhuque-1, powered by solid-propellant motors. Zhuque-1 was launched on 27 October 2018, however the payload failed to reach orbit due to an issue with the third stage. The company also developed the liquid-fueled Zhuque-2, which became the first methalox rocket in the world to reach orbit after a successful second flight on 12 July 2023.

Zhuque-1 (ZQ-1, Chinese: 朱雀一号 or 朱雀·南太湖号), also known as LandSpace-1 or LS-1, is a 19-metre (62 ft) tall, three-stage solid-propellant rocket with a diameter of 1.35 m. It is likely based on the DF-26 missile's rocket motor. Zhuque-1 has a takeoff mass of 27 t (27 long tons; 30 short tons), a thrust of 45 tf (99,000 lbf), and can carry 300 kg (660 lb) of payload into a 300 km (190 mi) low Earth orbit (LEO).

The maiden flight of Zhuque-1 took place on 27 October 2018, from a mobile platform at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying the Weilai-1 satellite for China Central Television. Despite successful first and second stage firings and fairing separation, the payload failed to reach orbit due to a third-stage issue. Zhuque-1 was the first Chinese private orbital rocket to attempt an orbital launch.

Following the launch, reports emerged that the solid rocket motor manufacturer had ended its contract with LandSpace, casting doubt on the future of Zhuque-1. Subsequently, LandSpace announced it would shift its focus to developing the methane-fueled Zhuque-2.

Zhuque-2 (ZQ-2) is a medium-sized liquid-fuelled rocket powered by liquid oxygen and methane capable of lifting 6,000 kg (13,000 lb) of payload into a 200 km (120 mi) LEO, or 4,000 kg (8,800 lb) of payload into a 500 km (310 mi) sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). The rocket was planned to be launched in 2020, however by 2019 this had slipped to 2021, and later to December 2022.^{[citation needed]}