LandSpace Launches Zhuque-2E Y2 Methane Rocket With Six Satellites

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Private Chinese company LandSpace just launched their fifth methane-powered rocket, successfully putting six satellites into orbit from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

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The Zhuque-2E Y2 rocket uses methane fuel instead of traditional rocket propellants - making it cleaner, cheaper, and potentially revolutionizing the space industry.

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LandSpace shocked the aerospace world in 2023 by beating both SpaceX and Blue Origin to become the first company to successfully launch a methane-powered orbital rocket.

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"We expect to test our first reusable rocket in the second half of 2025," revealed Zhang Changwu, LandSpace's founder and CEO - putting them in direct competition with SpaceX's reusable fleet.

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This latest rocket features a crucial technical breakthrough - both liquid oxygen and methane are cooled below their boiling points, significantly boosting the rocket's thrust capabilities.

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The payload included six satellites from Chinese firm Spacety, ranging from 20kg to a massive 300kg radar satellite with millimeter-precision Earth observation capabilities.

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What can this advanced radar satellite actually see? It works in any weather and can detect surface changes as small as a millimeter - perfect for monitoring infrastructure, cities, and natural disasters.

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Three of the launched satellites will support China's ambitious deep-space research programs, while two others will monitor Earth's environment and hunt for valuable mineral deposits.

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LandSpace's journey hasn't been smooth sailing - their first launch attempt in December 2022 failed completely, but they've rapidly improved with five launches in just 29 months.

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How is LandSpace funding this rapid progress? The company received $120 million from a state-owned fund in December, following their earlier $170 million funding round in 2020.

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Founded in 2015 shortly after China opened space flight to private companies, LandSpace has quickly grown into a leading private space firm focused on sustainable rocket technology.

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The space race heats up: While LandSpace advances methane rocket technology, their satellite partner Spacety faces US sanctions over alleged concerns about their radar imagery capabilities.

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