Latest news with #LandSpace
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
China's Space Epoch conducts key test for reusable rocket ambitions
By Eduardo Baptista BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese private rocket firm Space Epoch said on Thursday it had successfully run a flight recovery test, as China looks to catch up with the United States by developing its own version of a reusable rocket that can rival SpaceX's Flacon 9. As China and other space-faring nations look to develop tourism, infrastructure, and exploration, reusable rockets are indispensable to making their investments economically viable. Beijing-based Space Epoch, or SEPOCH, said its Yuanxingzhe-1 verification rocket was launched at 4:40 a.m from China's first sea-based space launch centre, off the waters of the eastern province of Shandong. The rocket soared upwards, its engines briefly shutting down after the peak of its trajectory, then reigniting as it began its vertical descent to enter the Yellow Sea in a circle of fire, a video posted on Space Epoch's WeChat account showed. "The success of this flight recovery test is a major breakthrough in the development process of liquid reusable rockets," Space Epoch said in a statement. The flight lasted 125 seconds, reaching a height of about 2.5 km (1.6 miles), it added. Space Epoch's ambition to develop reusable rocket technology is highlighted by its demonstration of Vertical Takeoff and Vertical Landing (VTVL). In this procedure, a rocket takes off vertically and returns to Earth with a vertical landing that uses rocket engines to slow and control the descent. Used by SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Starship, VTVL is crucial for any firm looking to retrieve and reuse rockets after their launch, a growing focus for investors and firms worldwide that could drastically reduce costs and spread their use wider. While tech entrepreneur Elon Musk's SpaceX is already launching and recovering orbital-class rockets on a routine basis, no Chinese firm has yet matched this feat. SpaceX's Falcon 9 first successful landing test was almost a decade ago, highlighting the yawning gap firms like Space Epoch must bridge to catch up. Space Epoch and Chinese peers, such as LandSpace, aim for maiden flights of their respective reusable rockets later this year, though no dates have been revealed. Last year LandSpace completed a 10-km (6.2-mile) VTVL test marking China's first in-flight engine reignition in descent, a technique Space Epoch appears to have also mastered with its latest launch.
Reuters
4 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
China's Space Epoch conducts key test for reusable rocket ambitions
BEIJING, May 29 (Reuters) - Chinese private rocket firm Space Epoch said on Thursday it had successfully run a flight recovery test, as China looks to catch up with the United States by developing its own version of a reusable rocket that can rival SpaceX's Flacon 9. As China and other space-faring nations look to develop tourism, infrastructure, and exploration, reusable rockets are indispensable to making their investments economically viable. Beijing-based Space Epoch, or SEPOCH, said its Yuanxingzhe-1 verification rocket was launched at 4:40 a.m from China's first sea-based space launch centre, off the waters of the eastern province of Shandong. The rocket soared upwards, its engines briefly shutting down after the peak of its trajectory, then reigniting as it began its vertical descent to enter the Yellow Sea in a circle of fire, a video posted on Space Epoch's WeChat account showed. "The success of this flight recovery test is a major breakthrough in the development process of liquid reusable rockets," Space Epoch said in a statement. The flight lasted 125 seconds, reaching a height of about 2.5 km (1.6 miles), it added. Space Epoch's ambition to develop reusable rocket technology is highlighted by its demonstration of Vertical Takeoff and Vertical Landing (VTVL). In this procedure, a rocket takes off vertically and returns to Earth with a vertical landing that uses rocket engines to slow and control the descent. Used by SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Starship, VTVL is crucial for any firm looking to retrieve and reuse rockets after their launch, a growing focus for investors and firms worldwide that could drastically reduce costs and spread their use wider. While tech entrepreneur Elon Musk's SpaceX is already launching and recovering orbital-class rockets on a routine basis, no Chinese firm has yet matched this feat. SpaceX's Falcon 9 first successful landing test was almost a decade ago, highlighting the yawning gap firms like Space Epoch must bridge to catch up. Space Epoch and Chinese peers, such as LandSpace, aim for maiden flights of their respective reusable rockets later this year, though no dates have been revealed. Last year LandSpace completed a 10-km (6.2-mile) VTVL test marking China's first in-flight engine reignition in descent, a technique Space Epoch appears to have also mastered with its latest launch.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Did the Chinese Government ruin your astrophotography?
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. China recently launched the Zhuque-2E rocket, deploying 6 satellites into low-Earth orbit and dumping experimental fuel into space, creating a massive luminous streak visible across at least 7 US states. If you were one of the astrophotographers who ventured out last Saturday, May 17, you might have witnessed this unexpected light show in the sky around 01:24 EST. It may have ruined your long-awaited astrophotography shots of the beautiful night sky, as the bright streak overshadowed the stars. Saying this, you might instead have found yourself captivated by this unexpected happening – like photographer Mike Lewinski, who captured the scene and also created a time-lapse video of the light streak from Crestone, Colorado. You can discover this footage on his Flickr account or website. The bright streak lasted for about ten minutes and, according to it was visible in Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Missouri, Nebraska, Washington and New Mexico. This giant luminous streak was caused by the Zhuque-2E single-use orbital launch rocket, created by Chinese company LandSpace, which released a series of satellites into orbit and dumped a new type of fuel into space. Speculation surrounds the reason for this massive light streak. Representatives from suggested it might have been a de-orbit burn or a circularization burn for the deploying satellites. An astronomer at the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics said on X, 'Yes, that's it. Fuel dump from the upper stage, at about 250 km altitude'. This isn't the first time unnatural luminous objects have appeared in the night sky. If you're an astrophotographer, you may already be aware of this; if not, here's some context: the number of satellites is on the rise. According to the European Space Agency, in 2022 some 6,800 satellites were active. In May 2025 that number nearly doubled, with over 11,500 satellites orbiting our planet. In 2019, SpaceX deployed 60 Starlink satellites aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Shortly after, observers witnessed a linear string of light across the sky. It's not just American astrophotographers who have seen these unnatural light appearances; just this May, a luminous vortex was spotted in the UK night sky. I spoke with award-winning astrophotographer Josh Dury to gain further insights and discuss concerns around satellites and fuel dumps in space. "Above the United Kingdom on March 25 2025, a somewhat alien-esque object was sighted in the night sky. If anything, the definition of what is 'alien' goes far and few between. ABOVE: See the light pollution from Starlink satellites "This was the presence of a Starlink satellite launch; ejecting a new type of fuel, used to power these missions to launch contributing satellites into a 'mega constellation' in low Earth orbit. "Methalox, liquid oxygen and methane, is the fuel used to launch these satellites up into orbit, freezing as ice crystals high up in the Earth's atmosphere, which reflect sunlight and are visible at night. "The situation now is, these missions are powered to launch tens of thousands of satellites to provide a solution to global internet. The double-edged sword is… they are now outnumbering the amount of visible stars in each hemisphere. "An alarming statistic that not only affects professional astronomical observations, but also astrophotography and our connection with the natural world. "The new concept is how these fuel dumps are effectively degrading our atmosphere and contributing to pollution in our upper atmosphere and thus climate change. Already very worrying especially with evidence for future government decisions to dim sunlight." You can learn more about astrophotography and discover Josh's work on his website and in his new book: 52 Assignments: Night Photography, published by Ammonite Press. Capturing stunning images of the night sky and space starts with having the right gear. Check out our guides to the best cameras for astrophotography and the best lenses for astrophotography. You might also enjoy our feature on Josh Dury, a pro landscape and astrophotographer, who shared why he considers the Sony A7S III a true "powerhouse" for astrophotography and more insider night sky tips.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Mystery white plume streaks US sky after China dumps rocket fuel
A giant white streak seen in the sky over America was likely caused by fuel dumping from a new rocket launched by China, astronomers said. The white plume appeared at around 1:25am ET on 17 May and was observed over several US states for about 10 minutes before fading away. Space observers initially suspected it was related to a light phenomenon called Steve – Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement – in which charged particles flow very quickly in space from east to west, energised by geomagnetic storms. This was because the plume was seen along with auroras in many of the states. 'The aurora was rippling low on the northern horizon when suddenly a bright streak of light, reminiscent of a rocket re-entry, appeared high in the sky and flowed down to the horizon," an observer named Mike Lewinski told Spaceweather. But astronomers now believe the white light was caused by a Chinese rocket that went up the same day. Around an hour before the streaks appeared, Chinese startup LandSpace Technology launched a new methane-powered rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the country's northwest. The Zhuque-2E Y2 rocket put six satellites into orbit, marking a milestone for the startup in building carrier vehicles fueled by methane, which is deemed a less polluting, safer and cheaper option than the more commonly used hydrocarbon fuels. Around 1130pm MST May 16 north of Farmington New Mexico 38N, I was hyperlapsing with a Galaxy S24 ultra. The #aurora was visual but colorless... then the brightest sight I've ever seen in the night sky appeared overhead! #northernlights #auroraborealis — Derick Wilson (@Xhillsblockview) May 17, 2025 The Beijing-based company is a pioneer in "methalox" technology that enables rockets to run on liquid oxygen and liquid methane. In July 2023, LandSpace became the world's first company to launch a methane-liquid oxygen-powered rocket, ahead of rivals such as Elon Musk 's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin. Compared to conventional rocket fuel like kerosene and hydrogen, methane burns cleaner and can be produced and stored on Mars. Space observers suspect that the white streak seen over the US was caused by the 'de-orbit burn' or 'circularisation burn' of the methane-powered rocket. 'Zhuque-2E upper stage passed over the US Four Corners area at 0525 UTC May 17 and is the source of the unusual luminous cloud seen by many observers,' astronomer Jonathan McDowell wrote on X. Replying to an X user's picture of the white streak, Dr McDowell said the plume's origin was the 'fuel dump' at an altitude of 250km from the rocket's upper stage.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Watch tile-shedding private Chinese rocket launch 6 satellites to orbit (video)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The Chinese company LandSpace launched its methane-powered Zhugque-2E rocket on Saturday (May 17), carrying a batch of six satellites to orbit. Zhugque-2E lifted off Saturday at 12:12 a.m. EDT (0412 GMT; 12:12 p.m. in Beijing) from Site 96 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center's Complex-43, in northwestern China's Gobi Desert. The mission, carried out by LandSpace for commercial satellite maker Changsha Tianyi Space Science and Technology Research Institute, known as Spacety for short, carried six Tianyi satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO). This was the second launch of LandSpace's Zhugque-2E rocket — the "E" stands for "enhanced", indicating the rocket's extended 13.8-foot (4.2-meter) payload fairing. In total, Zhugque-2E stands 155 feet (47 m) tall. Its first stage is powered by four Tiānquè-12A (TQ-12A) methalox-powered engines, with a vacuum-optimized TQ-15A engine powering the upper stage. The six satellites, numbered Tianyi 29, 34, 35, 42, 45 and 46, will join a constellation of diverse Earth-observation spacecraft operated by Spacety in LEO. The batch includes two optical remote sensing satellites, Tianyi 29 and 35; three space science experiment satellites, Tianyi 24, 45 and 46; and one remote-sensing synthetic aperture radar satellite, Tianyi 42. Related stories: — US and China need a space hotline for orbital emergencies, experts say — Watch China's private Ceres-1 rocket launch 4 satellites from a ship at sea (video) — Watch China launch Smart Dragon-3 rocket from the sea (video) This was the 27th orbital launch from China so far this year, with more than half a dozen lifting off in the month of May alone. Just two days following the LandSpace launch, another Chinese company, Galactic Energy, launched its solid-propellant Ceres-1 rocket from a ship at sea.
