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{{Short description|Chinese
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox company
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}}
'''LandSpace Technology Corporation''' ([[doing business as]] '''LandSpace''')<ref>{{cite web|date=30 September 2017|script-title=zh:
As of July 2023, the company's Zhuque-2 rocket became the first methane-fueled orbital launch vehicle in the world after reaching orbit on its second flight.<ref name="Jones2023" /><ref name="Beil" /> LandSpace plans to conduct three Zhuque-2 launches in 2024 and six in 2025.<ref name="sn-20231209" />
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]].<ref name="Jones2023" />▼
== History ==
▲Landspace Technology Corporation was established in 2015, after a Chinese government policy change in 2014 that allowed private capital into the space industry.<ref name="spacenewsaug23" /> 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]].<ref name="Jones2023" />
LandSpace developed its first launch vehicle Zhuque-1, powered by [[Solid-propellant rocket|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.<ref name="Barbosa" /><ref name="Jones2018">{{cite magazine|last=Jones|first=Andrew|date=27 October 2018|title=Landspace fails to reach orbit with milestone private Chinese launch|url=https://spacenews.com/landspace-fails-to-reach-orbit-with-milestone-private-chinese-launch/|magazine=[[SpaceNews]]|access-date=28 October 2018}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|last=Zhao|first=Lei|date=12 July 2023|title=China launches first globally successful orbital mission for methane-fueled rocket|url=https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202307/12/WS64adfd51a31035260b815eaf.html|newspaper=[[China Daily]]|access-date=2 August 2023}}</ref>
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=== Zhuque-1 ===
[[File:Zhuque-1.png|thumb|upright=1.2|right|Zhuque-1]]
'''Zhuque-1''' ('''ZQ-1''', {{lang-zh|
The maiden flight of Zhuque-1
▲'''Zhuque-1''' ('''ZQ-1''', {{lang-zh|
▲The maiden flight of Zhuque-1 was on 27 October 2018 from a mobile platform at the [[Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center]], carrying [[Weilai-1]] satellite for [[China Central Television]]. After a successful first- and second-stage firing, and [[Separation event|fairing separation]], the payload failed to reach orbit due to an issue with the third stage.<ref name="Barbosa">{{cite web|last=Barbosa|first=Rui C.|date=27 October 2018|title=Chinese commercial provider LandSpace launches Weilai-1 on a Zhuque-1 rockets – fails to make orbit|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/10/chinese-landspace-launches-weilai-1-zhuque-1-rocket/|website=[[NASASpaceFlight.com]]|access-date=27 October 2018}}</ref><ref name="Jones2018" /> Zhuque-1 was the first Chinese private orbital rocket to attempt an orbital launch.<ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Stephen|date=28 October 2018|title=LandSpace falls short of orbit in private Chinese launch attempt|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/10/28/landspace-falls-short-of-orbit-in-private-chinese-launch-attempt/|website=Spaceflight Now|access-date=2 August 2023}}</ref>
▲According to news reports, the manufacturer of the solid rocket motors has ended its contract with LandSpace. This raised doubts as to whether there will be a second flight of Zhuque-1.<ref name="Gunter" /> Following the launch, LandSpace announced it would advance its focus from Zhuque-1's simple solid-propellant towards the development of a methane-fuelled Zhuque-2.<ref name="Jones2023">{{cite magazine|last=Jones|first=Andrew|date=12 July 2023|title=China's Landspace reaches orbit with methane-powered Zhuque-2 rocket|url=https://spacenews.com/chinas-landspace-reaches-orbit-with-methane-powered-zhuque-2-rocket/|magazine=[[SpaceNews]]|access-date=12 July 2023}}</ref>
=== Zhuque-2 ===
{{Main|Zhuque-2}}
'''Zhuque-2''' ('''ZQ-2''') is a medium-sized [[liquid-fuelled rocket]] powered by [[liquid oxygen]] and [[methane]] capable of lifting {{cvt|6,000|kg}} of payload into a {{cvt|200|km}} LEO, or {{cvt|4,000|kg}} of payload into a {{cvt|500|km}} [[
The first flight of Zhuque-2 occurred on 14 December 2022, but the launch vehicle failed to place its payload into orbit due to the failure of its second-stage vernier engines after the second-stage main engine shutdown. Nevertheless, with this maiden launch, Zhuque-2 became the first methane-fueled rocket to reach space. On 12 July 2023, the second flight was successful, making it the first [[methalox|methane-fueled]] launch vehicle in the world to reach orbit; this flight did not carry an active payload.<ref name="Beil" /><ref name="Jones2023" /> On 8 December 2023, the third Zhuque-2 mission successfully placed three satellites into a 433 by 461 kilometers sun-synchronous orbit. LandSpace plans to launch three Zhuque-2 rockets in 2024 and six in 2025.<ref name="sn-20231209" />
=== Zhuque-3 ===
'''Zhuque-3''' ('''ZQ-3''') is an under-development, two-stage, medium-to-heavy launch vehicle made of stainless steel and powered by liquid methane fuel. The reusable first stage, equipped with nine [[Tianque-12|Tianque-12B]] engines, is designed to be recoverable and reusable for up to twenty launches. The rocket will be 76.6 meters long, 4.5 meters in diameter, and have a liftoff weight of approximately 660 tonnes. Its planned payload capacity to low Earth orbit is about 21 tonnes in expendable mode, 18.3 tonnes when the first stage is recovered downrange, and 12.5 tonnes when the first stage returns to the launch site. The maiden flight of the rocket is planned for 2025,<ref name="sn-20231209">{{Cite web|last=Jones|first=Andrew|title=Landspace launches third methane Zhuque-2, targets 2025 launch of new stainless steel rocket |url=https://spacenews.com/landspace-launches-third-methane-zhuque-2-targets-2025-launch-of-new-stainless-steel-rocket/ |access-date=2023-12-09|website=spacenews.com |date=9 December 2023 |language=en}}</ref> aiming to achieve the milestone of first-stage recovery within the same year, and progressing towards reusability by 2026.
On 19 January 2024, Landspace conducted a successful vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) test using the Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 test vehicle at [[Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center|Jiuquan]]. The test stage, powered by a single Tianque-12 engine, flew for approximately 60 seconds and reached a height of about 350 meters. Landspace reported a landing accuracy of about 2.4 meters and a touchdown speed of approximately 0.75 meters per second.<ref name="sn-20240119">{{Cite web|last=Jones|first=Andrew|title=China's Landspace conducts first VTVL test for reusable stainless steel rocket |url=https://spacenews.com/chinas-landspace-conducts-first-vtvl-test-for-reusable-stainless-steel-rocket/ |access-date=20 January 2024|website=spacenews.com |date=19 January 2024 |language=en}}</ref> Additionally, the company had previously announced plans to develop a 200-tonne class full-flow staged combustion engine [[BF-20]], which is expected to be ready by 2028 for a future version of Zhuque-3.<ref name="sn-20231209" />
On 11 September 2024, the Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 test stage completed another successful vertical-takeoff-vertical-landing test at its Jinquan launch complex. The test flight lasted about 200 seconds and achieved a maximum height in excess of 10 kilometres. The flight also featured a mid-air engine cutoff test at about 113 seconds after liftoff and an engine reignition test about 40 seconds later when the test stage was at a height of about 4,640 metres; this engine cutoff and reignition sequence during a VTVL attempt represented a first for any Chinese rocket manufacturing entities. During the period when its engine was not in active operation, the test stage employed a cold gas attitude control reaction system in addition to four grid fins to control its gliding descent. The test stage completed its landing sequence at a concrete pad located about 3.2 kilometres away from its launch point; the precise landing spot was 1.7 metres away from the nominal center of the landing pad.<ref name="sn-20240911">{{Cite web|last=Jones|first=Andrew|title=Landspace completes 10-kilometer reusable rocket test, eyes 2025 orbital launch |url=https://spacenews.com/landspace-completes-10-kilometer-reusable-rocket-test-eyes-2025-orbital-launch/ |access-date=11 September 2024|website=spacenews.com |date=11 September 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
== Launches ==
<!-- Zhuque-1 table -->
=== Zhuque-1 launches ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
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! Outcome
! Notes
|-▼
▲|-
| Zhuque-1<ref name="Barbosa
|▼
| Y1
| 27 October 2018,<br />08:00 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]
| Weilai-1 ('Future-1') satellite
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| [[Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center|Jiuquan]]
| {{Failure}}
| 3 solid-fuel stages; 3rd stage anomaly.<ref name="Jones2018" />
|-▼
▲|}
<!-- Zhuque-2 table -->
=== Zhuque-2 launches ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Rocket & serial
! Flight number
! Date
! Payload
! Orbit
! Launch site
! Outcome
! Notes
▲|-
|Zhuque-2<ref name="Fernholz">{{cite news |last=Fernholz |first=Tim |date=27 September 2016 |title=The SpaceX of China aims to commercialize a mysterious rocket on the world stage |work=[[Quartz (publication)|Quartz]] |url=https://qz.com/791879/landspace-the-spacex-of-china-plans-to-commercially-launch-a-rocket-based-on-the-long-march-11 |access-date=2 August 2023}}</ref>
|Y1
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|[[Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center|Jiuquan]], Site 96
| {{Failure}}
|Failed to reach orbit due to failure of vernier thrusters on second stage. Nevertheless, it's the first methane fueled rocket to reach space.<ref name="aj-20221214">{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Andrew |date=14 December 2022 |title=Historic first launch of Chinese private methane-fueled rocket ends in failure|work=[[SpaceNews]] |url=https://spacenews.com/historic-first-launch-of-chinese-private-methane-fueled-rocket-ends-in-failure/ |access-date=2 August 2023}}</ref>
|-▼
▲|-
|Zhuque-2
|Y2
|12 July 2023,<br />01:00 UTC
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|[[Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center|Jiuquan]], Site 96
| {{Success}}
|First methane fueled launch vehicle to reach orbit.<ref name="Beil" />
|-▼
▲|-
|Zhuque-2
|Y3
|8 December 2023,<br />23:39 UTC
|Honghu-1<br/>Honghu-2<br/>Tianyi 33
|[[Sun-synchronous orbit|SSO]]
|[[Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center|Jiuquan]], Site 96
| {{Success}}
|First methane fueled launch vehicle to launch payloads into orbit.<ref name="sn-20231209" />
|}
<!-- Zhuque-3 table -->
=== Zhuque-3 launches ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Rocket & serial
! Flight number
! Date
! Payload
! Orbit
! Launch site
! Outcome
! Notes
|-
| Zhuque-3
| Demo flight
| data-sort-value="June 2025" | {{abbr|NET|No earlier than}} June 2025<ref>{{cite web |last=Xin |first=Ling |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3249190/chinas-landspace-tests-prototype-zhuque-3-reusable-stainless-steel-rocket |title=China’s LandSpace tests prototype of Zhuque-3 reusable stainless steel rocket |work=[[SCMP]] |date=20 January 2024 |access-date=1 July 2024}}</ref>
|
|
| [[Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center|Jiuquan]]
| TBD
| First flight of Zhuque-3
|}
== Marketplace ==
LandSpace is in competition with several other Chinese space rocket startups, being [[LinkSpace]], [[Galactic Energy]], [[ExPace]], [[i-Space (Chinese company)|i-Space]], [[OneSpace]] and [[Deep Blue Aerospace]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Messier|first=Doug|date=20 December 2017|title=EXPACE Raises $182 Million for Small Satellite Launchers|url=http://www.parabolicarc.com/2017/12/20/expace-raises-182-million-small-satellite-launchers/|website=Parabolic Arc|access-date=2 August 2023|archive-date=4 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204225826/http://www.parabolicarc.com/2017/12/20/expace-raises-182-million-small-satellite-launchers/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== References ==
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