LandSpace Technology Corporation (doing business as LandSpace)[4][5][6] is a Chinese private space launch provider based in Beijing.[7] It was founded in 2015 by Zhang Changwu.[7][8]
LandSpace | |
Native name | 蓝箭 |
Company type | Private |
Industry | Aerospace |
Founded | June 2015[1] |
Founder | Zhang Changwu (张昌 |
Headquarters | , China |
Website | landspace.com |
Footnotes / references [3] |
LandSpace Technology Corporation | |||||||
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Simplified Chinese | 蓝箭 | ||||||
Traditional Chinese | |||||||
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Landspace | |||||||
Chinese | 蓝箭 | ||||||
Traditional Chinese | |||||||
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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.[9]
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.[10][11] The company also developed the liquid-fueled Zhuque-2, based on its methalox TQ-11 and TQ-12 engines, whose maiden launch (failed to orbit) occurred in December 2022.[12][13] Zhuque-2 became the first methalox rocket in the world to reach orbit after a successful second flight on 12 July 2023.[14]
Launch vehicles
Zhuque-1
Zhuque-1 (ZQ-1, Chinese:
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 fairing separation, the payload failed to reach orbit due to an issue with the third stage.[10][11] Zhuque-1 was the first Chinese private orbital rocket to attempt an orbital launch.[17]
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.[16] 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.[18]
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 of payload into a 200 km low Earth orbit, or 4,000 kg of payload into a 500 km Sun-synchronous orbit.[7][19] The rocket was initially planned to be launched in 2020,[20] however by 2019 this had slipped to 2021,[21] and later to December 2022. On 12 July 2023, Zhuque-2 became the first methane-fueled launch vehicle to reach orbit after a successful second flight.[19][22]
Launches
Rocket & Serial | Flight No. | Date | Payload | Orbit | Launch Site | Outcome | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zhuque-1[10][11] | 27 October 2018, 08:00 UTC |
Weilai-1 (‘Future’) satellite | LEO | Jiuquan | Failure | 3 solid-fuel stages. 3rd stage anomaly. | |
Zhuque-2[12] | Y1 | 14 December 2022, 08:30 UTC |
Various | SSO | Jiuquan, Site 96 | Failure | First methane launch vehicle to reach space. |
Zhuque-2[19] | Y2 | 12 July 2023, 01:00 UTC |
No payload (Flight test) | SSO | Jiuquan, Site 96 | Success | First methane launch vehicle to reach orbit. |
Marketplace
LandSpace is in competition with several other Chinese space rocket startups, being LinkSpace, Galactic Energy, ExPace, i-Space, OneSpace and Deep Blue Aerospace.[23]
References
- ^ "LANDSPACE 关于
我 们". www.landspace.com. Retrieved 8 August 2022. - ^ "Zhang Changwu". APSCC Satellite Conference.
- ^ "About Us - Landspace". Landspace. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ 蓝箭
官 网 - ^ "
北京 蓝箭空 间科技 有限 公司 (landspace)" (in Chinese). China Spaceflight. 30 September 2017. - ^ Henri Kenhamn (2017). "LandSpace: le futur SpaceX chinois" (in French). East Pendulum.
- ^ a b c Jeffrey Lin; P.W. Singer (23 January 2017). "A private Chinese space company just scored a foreign contract for the first time". Popular Science.
- ^ Clay Dillow (28 March 2017). "China's secret plan to crush SpaceX and the US space program". CNBC.
- ^ Jones, Andrew (2023-07-12). "China's Landspace reaches orbit with methane-powered Zhuque-2 rocket". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
- ^ a b c d Barbosa, Rui C. (27 October 2018). "Chinese commercial provider LandSpace launches Weilai-1 on a Zhuque-1 rockets – fails to make orbit". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
- ^ a b c Jones, Andrew (27 October 2018). "Landspace fails to reach orbit with milestone private Chinese launch". Retrieved 28 October 2018.
- ^ a b Fernholz, Tim. "The SpaceX of China aims to commercialize a mysterious rocket on the world stage". Quartz (publication).
- ^ Jones, Andrew (18 January 2022). "China's Landspace appears to be preparing to launch its new methane-fueled rocket". SpaceNews. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
- ^ "China launches first globally successful orbital mission for methane-fueled rocket". 12 July 2023.
- ^ "Landspace fails to reach orbit with milestone private Chinese launch". SpaceNews. 27 October 2018.
- ^ a b "ZhuQue-1 (ZQ-1, LandSpace-1, LS-1)". space.skyrocket.de.
- ^ Clark, Stephen. "LandSpace falls short of orbit in private Chinese launch attempt". Spaceflight Now.
- ^ Jones, Andrew (2023-07-12). "China's Landspace reaches orbit with methane-powered Zhuque-2 rocket". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
- ^ a b c Beil, Adrian (12 July 2023). "LandSpace claims win in the methane race to orbit via second ZhuQue-2 launch". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ "Landspace - ZQ-2 / Suzaku No. 2".
- ^ "Chinese space launch firm Landspace raises $71 million". 10 December 2019.
- ^ "China's Landspace reaches orbit with methane-powered Zhuque-2 rocket". Spacenews.com. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ Doug Messier (20 December 2017). "EXPACE Raises US$182 Million for Small Satellite Launchers". Parabolic Arc.
External links
- Official website: 蓝箭
官 网