Tag: Zhuque-2
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Launch Roundup: ZhuQue-2E and Chang Zheng 12 take first flights; SpaceX launches classified mission
This week Landspace debuted the enhanced version of its ZhuQue-2 rocket and the Chang Zheng 12 rocket has also taken its maiden flight. Roscosmos has launched one of two planned Soyuz missions – the highly classified mission from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome has now been delayed until next week. In contrast, four Falcon 9 missions are…
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China Roundup: Chinese Moon plans, commercial company updates, and Wenchang commercial pad
China provided several updates to its lunar exploration plans, while private companies like LandSpace and Space Pioneer are also getting closer to milestones. Meanwhile, the commercial complex in Wenchang is getting ready to host private Chinese rockets. China details lunar exploration further In a recent presentation, China detailed its lunar exploration plan for the near…
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ZhuQue-2 launches on third flight
LandSpace has launched its third ZhuQue-2 rocket on Friday, Dec. 8, at 23:40 UTC. The launch, just like the first two, took place from Launch Site 96 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China. Earlier this year, ZhuQue-2 performed its second launch, in which the rocket successfully reached orbit. After the initial launch in…
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ZhuQue-2 prepares for flight three; LandSpace announces larger rocket
LandSpace, the company that launched the first methane-based rocket, ZhuQue-2, successfully to orbit, was all over the news in the last few weeks. Signs intensified about an imminent third launch of the methane rocket, while the company also detailed ZhuQue-3: its upcoming stainless steel rocket. ZhuQue-2 Launch 3 Signs of an upcoming launch of ZhuQue-2…
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Multiple remote sensing satellites launched from China, as launch cadence increases
With over 35 launches in 2023, China is on its way to returning to its high launch cadence after a slow start to the year. Launches in the past few days include two rockets outside the Chang Zheng family and the mighty Chang Zheng 3 B/E’s return as it flew for the fourth time this…
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China details next generation crew launcher; Venezuela joins the Lunar base
China’s impressive launch cadence took a break in July 2023 with only three launches from Chinese pads in the month, with one being the high-profile second flight of ZhuQue-2. Additionally, China announced new rockets and launched Starlink-equivalent test satellites. Chang Zheng 2C/YZ-1S | 2 x SatNet test satellites Chang Zheng 2C (CZ-2C) took flight at…
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Launch Roundup: SpaceX finishes Starlink v1 flights – China launches methane powered ZQ-2
This week, LandSpace reached orbit on its second test flight of the ZhuQue-2 rocket; SpaceX launched the final v1.0/v1.5 Starlink satellites on Starlink Group 5-15; and India launched the Chandrayaan-3 lunar exploration mission atop their Launch Vehicle Mark 3 rocket. These launches will mark the 102nd through 104th orbital launches of 2023. If the launch…
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LandSpace claims win in the methane race to orbit via second ZhuQue-2 launch
LandSpace launched its methane-based ZhuQue-2 rocket on Wednesday. This was the rocket’s second launch after its failed maiden flight in December 2022. Initial claims from the company noted a mission success, marking the first methalox rocket to reach orbit. The ZhuQue-2 rocket ZhuQue-2 (Redbird 2 in English) is a rocket designed by the Chinese private company…
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This Week In Spaceflight: Vulcan fires up, Canadian fires from space, and JWST deep field data
A variety of methalox rockets are approaching launch, with the United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Vulcan rocket completing its flight readiness firing. What’s more, the wildfires currently raging in Canada have been studied from space using a plethora of weather observation satellites, and the James Webb Space Telescope’s (JWST) advanced extragalactic survey data was officially released.…
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China outlines ambitious plans for Moon landing; ZhuQue-2 prepares to launch again
Over the last few weeks, China has remained busy with both launching rockets and announcing news, as the country outlined its ambitious plans for its upcoming Lunar program, in which they hope to land a taikonaut on the surface of the Moon by 2030. What’s more, China launched a rideshare mission on an all-solid rocket…