JIUQUAN, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- China successfully launched a Zhuque-2E Y7 carrier rocket from the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot zone in northwest China on Tuesday.
Lifting off at 2:26 p.m. (Beijing Time), the rocket deployed 10 networking satellites for a mega-constellation into their preset orbits.
The mission was declared a complete success.
This mission marked the first large-scale satellite internet constellation deployment by a Chinese private commercial rocket, validating its capability to execute such complex tasks.
Developed by LandSpace, a Chinese private space company, the Zhuque-2E is a two-stage cryogenic liquid launch vehicle with an extended body, powered by liquid oxygen and methane propellants. It shares key technologies with the Zhuque-3, a reusable launch vehicle, including common first- and second-stage engines and pneumatic push-rod stage separation.
"Technology sharing reduces costs and accelerates iterative improvements by allowing cross-model validation," LandSpace said. "The company will continue to enhance its stable and efficient space access capabilities to provide crucial launch capacity for China's satellite internet." ■
