Zhuque 2 Y-3 is the world's first methane-fuelled rocket that has succeeded in launching satellites into orbit

Chinese startup LandSpace has become the first in history to launch satellites into orbit using a methane-fuelled rocket. The carrier is called Zhuque 2 Y-3.

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The rocket launched from the Jiuquan Space Centre last week. The Zhuque 2 Y-3 is nearly 50 metres long and has a diameter of 3.35 metres. It has a take-off mass of 220 tonnes. The mission managed to send Hunghu 2, TY-33 and Hongu satellites into space. All of them were placed in a sun-synchronous orbit (460 kilometres).

Zhuque 2 Y-3 uses methane, which is cheaper and easier to store than liquid hydrogen, as its second propellant component. This was only the third launch for the Chinese rocket. Last summer it put a mock payload into orbit, and about a year ago the first attempt failed.

In its current configuration, the rocket can send up to 1.5 tonnes of payload into a sun-synchronous orbit. In the future, LandSpace intends to increase the payload capacity to 4 tonnes. In addition, the company plans to use the Zhuque 2 Y-3 to launch up to 6 tonnes of payload into low Earth orbit.

If all goes according to plan, the Zhuque 2 Y-3 will take off three times next year. Another year later, the number of launches will increase to six, and in 2026, China's new methane-fuelled rocket will have completed a dozen missions.

Source: scmp