Zhuque-2

The Zhuque-2 (ZQ-2), is a Chinese commercial launch vehicle by the LandSpace company. 

It is the first liquid methane fueled orbital launch vehicle to be tested. The first launch took place in December 2022 from the Gobi Desert, But its 2nd stage failed to reach orbit with the loss of all satellites.

On  LandSpace second launch their Zhuque-2(Redbird 2) on the 11th July 2023 to become the First Methalox rocket to ever reach orbit.

The CZ-2C class vehicle has a diameter 3.35 m and is fueled by liquid methane (LCH4) and liquid oxygen. Stage 1 is powered by four TQ-12 (Tianque-12) engines with a vacuum thrust of 80 t. Stage 2 is powered by a single TQ-12 engine with a larger nozzle for vacuum operations and four TQ-11 vernier engines.

The vehicle is designed to put a 6000 kg payload into a low 200 km orbit or 4000 kg into a sun synchronous orbit.

Zhuque-2 rocket launches! First methane-fueled rocket to reach orbit  (Credit: CCTV)