The improved version of the Chinese Liquid Fuel missile “Zhutsuy-2” (ZQ-2), called “ZQ-2E Y2”, successfully brought 6 satellites into orbit.
According to the Sinhua agency, the launch of a rocket carrying companions was made from the platform located in the pilot zone of commercial cosmonautics in the Gobi desert (Dunfan).
The launch, during which the satellites reached the planned orbital positions, became the fourth successful launch of the Zhuzzyu-2 rocket.
A missile produced by a private aviation-space company LandSpace with a headquarters in Beijing was named after the bird of the Rodny flywheel family-one of the four sacred animals in Chinese astrology and cosmology. In the traditional Chinese understanding of Zhutse, the defender of the southern sky, a symbol of harmony and well -being.
The world’s first rocket on methane
ZQ -2E Y2 missile, in which liquefied methane is used as a fuel, and as an oxidizing agent – liquefied oxygen, is the world’s first methane rocket.
The letter “E” in the name of the new version of the rocket means “improved” (Enhanced), and the “Y2” code indicates that this is the second application of this version.
The company appropriated the previous generations of missiles used in the early launches, the name “ZQ-2 Y1”, “ZQ-2 Y2” and “ZQ-2 Y3”.
The first launch of a new generation missile was carried out in 2024
The first version of the new generation of the ZQ-2E Y1 was first launched on November 27, 2024, successfully delivering two test satellites to orbit.
In the new version, the length of the rocket was reduced from 49.5 to 47.3 meters, and its weight was reduced. At the same time, the traction power of the rocket was increased from 268 to 282 tons, and the carrying capacity for the output in sunny-synchronous orbit increased from 1.5 to 4 tons.
The first attempt to launch ZQ-2E Y2 in December 2022 was unsuccessful, but then the rocket successfully completed two launches in July and December 2023.