Zhuque-2 (LOX/Methane)
LandSpace
LandSpace's LOX/methane launch vehicle — the world's first methane-fueled rocket to reach orbit, achieving success on its third flight in July 2023.
Key figurescomparable across the catalogue
- Payload capacity
- 4,000 kg
Normalised to common units so this product can be compared with others in its category. The supplier's own wording is below.
As published by the supplier
- Propellants
- LOX/Methane (both stages)
- First stage engines
- 4× TQ-12
- Payload to LEO
- ~6,000 kg
- Payload to SSO
- ~4,000 kg
- Historical achievement
- World's first methane-fueled rocket to reach orbit (July 12, 2023)
- Launch site
- Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
About
Zhuque-2 (ZQ-2, Vermilion Bird-2) is LandSpace’s two-stage launch vehicle powered by liquid oxygen and liquid methane — making it part of a new generation of methane-fueled rockets alongside SpaceX’s Starship, Rocket Lab’s Neutron, and Blue Origin’s New Glenn. On July 12, 2023, Zhuque-2’s third flight (ZQ-2 E) became the first methane-fueled rocket in the world to successfully reach orbit, beating both SpaceX Starship and the Vulcan Centaur to this milestone.
The first stage uses four TQ-12 engines producing approximately 268 tonnes of thrust at sea level, while the second stage uses one TQ-12 vacuum engine and one TQ-11 engine for steering. The vehicle can deliver approximately 6,000 kg to LEO or 4,000 kg to SSO.
LandSpace is developing the larger Zhuque-3 (ZQ-3) vehicle, which targets full reusability with a propulsive first stage landing similar to Falcon 9, and 21,000 kg payload capacity to LEO. ZQ-3 represents LandSpace’s bid to compete in the medium-heavy reusable launch vehicle market against SpaceX and domestic Chinese competitors.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.