China’s first commercial liquid-fuelled carrier rocket, Tianlong-2 Y1 (“Heavenly Dragon”), has been successfully launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in north-western China on Sunday.
The rocket took off at 4.48pm BJT, carrying a satellite into pre-set orbit. The purpose of the flight was to verify the overall plan of the rocket and systematic co-ordination, as well as obtain the flight environment parameters of the launch vehicle. The satellite will be used for technology verification of remote sensing experiment.
Developed by Chinese commercial rocket company Space Pioneer (full name Beijing Tianbing Technology Co.), the rocket is 35m long with a take-off mass of 150 tons. The medium-sized rocket is a three-stage launch vehicle propelled by kerosene and liquid oxygen.
Beijing Tianbing became the first private Chinese launch company to send a liquid-propellant rocket into space and taking another step towards developing reusable rockets.
Chinese commercial space firms have started making satellites while others, including Beijing Tianbing, focused on developing reusable rockets that can significantly cut mission costs.
Unlike solid-propellant rockets that cannot adjust their flow of fuel, liquid-propellant rockets have significantly greater control over their flight, with some such as SpaceX's Falcon 9 capable of returning to Earth in controlled descents and making vertical landings.
Recent funding secured by Beijing Tianbing is expected to finance the launch of a larger Tianlong-3 rocket with a reusable first stage. The company also has plans to launch an even bigger variant of the Tianlong-3 akin to SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy.
Reusable rockets will help expedite the building of Chinese constellations of commercial satellites that can offer services ranging from high-speed internet for aircraft to tracking coal shipments.
In its latest five-year plan for 2021–2025, the Chinese government has called for an integrated network of satellites for communications, remote sensing and navigation. China currently has more than 400 satellites in space, including commercially owned satellites, according to state media.
The rocket type can cater to China's demand for low-cost, high-reliability, quick-response and large-scale launches of small satellites and constellations.
The mission is the first flight for Tianlong-2 carrier rocket.
* This article was originally published by CGTN.
** Additional reporting by Reuters.