Latest news with #SpaceEpoch
United News of India
3 days ago
- Business
- United News of India
Chinese space startup Space Epoch successfully completes first sea-based vertical landing
Beijing, May 29 (UNI) Chinese space startup Space Epoch (officially known as Beijing Jianyuan Technology Co., Ltd.) successfully completed its first sea-based vertical landing of a reusable verification rocket, in one of the country's most impressive private sector space launches. The rocket-an experimental piece called Yuanxingzhe-1 (YXZ-1) or Hiker-1 in English—lifted off from a floating steel launch platform at 4:40 p.m. local time. Built from thin-walled stainless steel and standing 26.8 metres tall, the rocket soared to an altitude of 2.5 kilometres, shut down its engines, then successfully reignited them during descent and executed a controlled splashdown in the Yellow Sea, reports Space News. Captured on video, the flight was completed in less than 2 minutes, with Space Epoch calling the test a 'complete success,' saying it performed flawlessly through every stage—from take-off to landing. According to the company, the test is a key step toward the company's ultimate goal: launching rockets into orbit and bringing them back for reuse. If successful, the full version of Hiker-1 could carry heavy satellites (weighing over 10 tonnes) into space and return for another flight, greatly slashing costs and making launches both more efficient, and less time consuming. Furthermore, it also adds to China's ambitions to further increase the involvement of private parties in its booming space sector, as it has seen a flurry of test flights by private players in collaboration with govt agencies, highlighting its ambitions of one day competing with giants like Space X and its Falcon 9 rocket. This sea landing by Space Epoch sets a new benchmark for the country's private space enterprise, showcasing how they can also compete in one of the most complex and cutting-edge areas of modern spaceflight. Beyond launching satellites, the startup is already dreaming bigger, as it has proceeded to sign deals with Chinese satellite firms and even e-commerce giant Taobao, exploring futuristic concepts like rocket-based express deliveries. UNI ANV SSP
Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
China's Space Epoch conducts key test for reusable rocket ambitions
The flight lasted 125 seconds, reaching a height of about 2.5km. (China Science X pic) BEIJING : 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 4.40am 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 2.5km, 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 10km 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
3 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
3 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.
