Latest news with #Yuanxingzhe1
Sustainability Times
09-07-2025
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'SpaceX Fears for Its Survival!': China's Private Rocket Company Stuns the World With Reusable Launch, Threatening to Eclipse Musk's Entire Space Empire
IN A NUTSHELL 🚀 Space Epoch successfully tested its reusable rocket, Yuanxingzhe-1, marking a major milestone in China's space exploration. successfully tested its reusable rocket, Yuanxingzhe-1, marking a major milestone in China's space exploration. 🌌 The test utilized Vertical Takeoff, Vertical Landing (VTVL) technology, similar to SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Starship. technology, similar to SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Starship. 🇪🇺 Europe is making progress with reusable rocket technology, highlighted by the success of PLD Space's Miura 1 rocket. rocket. 🌍 China's advancements in reusable rockets could democratize space access, fostering innovation and international collaboration. In recent years, the global space race has taken a surprising turn as China makes significant strides in its space exploration capabilities. One noteworthy development is the successful test by Space Epoch, a Beijing-based company, of its reusable rocket, the Yuanxingzhe-1. This achievement signals a major milestone in China's ambitious space endeavors, which include goals in space tourism, orbital infrastructure, and lunar and Martian exploration. China's commitment to mastering reusable rocket technology, akin to that of SpaceX in the United States, is paving the way for a new era in space exploration. The Same Technique as SpaceX The groundbreaking test conducted by Space Epoch occurred on May 29, at the China Maritime Space Launch Center, located off the coast of Shandong province. The test involved the use of Vertical Takeoff, Vertical Landing (VTVL) technology, a method pioneered by SpaceX with its Falcon 9 and more recently with Starship. This technique allows rockets to descend vertically using their own engines to slow and stabilize their descent, ultimately achieving a controlled landing. During the test, the Yuanxingzhe-1 rocket completed a 125-second flight. After a vertical takeoff, it reached an altitude of approximately 8,202 feet. At the peak of its trajectory, the rocket's engines temporarily shut off before reigniting to initiate a controlled descent. This maneuver enabled the rocket to slow and stabilize its return, culminating in a water landing in the Yellow Sea, as depicted in a video shared by Space Epoch on its WeChat account. Space Epoch hailed this test as a 'major breakthrough' in developing reusable liquid-fueled rockets. 'China Achieves Unthinkable Feat': This Bold Extraction of 99.9% Ultra-Pure Rubidium from Salt Lake Brine Stuns the World Where Does Europe Stand? The ability to reuse rockets is a crucial factor in reducing launch costs, making space missions more economically viable and accessible. This approach potentially increases the frequency of launches and facilitates the entry of diverse players into the space market. In this regard, Europe is striving to catch up but is making progress toward this ultimate goal. On October 7, 2023, the Spanish startup PLD Space achieved a significant milestone with its Miura 1 rocket, which reached a maximum altitude of 46 kilometers (approximately 28.6 miles). The rocket was successfully recovered in the Atlantic Ocean after a controlled landing. This marked the first European rocket designed for reusability to be launched, recovered, and proven capable of flying again. Meanwhile, other Chinese companies, such as LandScape, are also diligently working on similar technologies. Last year, LandScape successfully executed the first in-flight relighting of a Chinese rocket engine during descent, a technique now mastered by Space Epoch. Both companies plan to conduct their first orbital flights this year. 'China Fires Nine-Engine Monster': This Reusable Rocket Just Shook SpaceX's Dominance in a Way No One Expected Implications for the Global Space Industry The advancements in reusable rocket technology have profound implications for the global space industry. By significantly reducing the cost of launches, this technology democratizes access to space, allowing smaller companies and nations to participate in space exploration and research. It can lead to an increase in commercial space ventures, such as satellite deployment and space tourism, which could have a substantial economic impact. Moreover, the competition between nations and private companies to develop reusable rockets fosters innovation and accelerates technological advancements. This environment of competition and collaboration is likely to produce new breakthroughs in space travel and exploration, ultimately benefiting humanity's understanding of the universe. 'China Shatters Global Energy Records': Historic Surge in Solar and Wind Power Redefines the Future of Clean Electricity China's Role in the New Space Age China's commitment to developing reusable rocket technology underscores its determination to become a major player in the space industry. With the successful test of the Yuanxingzhe-1, China demonstrates its capability to rival established space-faring nations. The country's ambitious plans for space tourism, orbital infrastructure, and lunar and Martian exploration indicate its desire to expand its influence beyond Earth. As China continues to invest in its space capabilities, it is poised to contribute significantly to scientific research and exploration. The growing collaboration between China and other countries in space endeavors could lead to new international partnerships and opportunities for shared advancements in space technology. In a rapidly evolving space landscape, China's achievements in reusable rocket technology mark a pivotal moment in the global space race. As more nations and companies develop and refine their capabilities, the future of space exploration holds endless possibilities. What new frontiers will humanity explore next as we continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in space? This article is based on verified sources and supported by editorial technologies. Did you like it? 4.6/5 (22)
South China Morning Post
06-06-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
China scientists put direct quantum communications tech to test in space flight
China has tested how the core components of a quantum-based network might withstand the rigours of space travel, in what is believed to be the start of efforts to build an integrated space-ground system for ultra-secure communications that do not need encryption keys. A laser module and a phase encoding device, developed at the Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences, were on board a Yuanxingzhe-1 rocket that reached 2.5km (1.55 miles) during a two-minute vertical flight testing its reusability last Thursday. 'The launch mainly tested the robustness of the modules against various environmental stresses encountered during rocket ascent, such as vibration and radiation,' the academy said on its official social media account on Wednesday. The test marked a key step in China's transition from experimental validation to the construction of a fully integrated space-air-ground quantum secure direct communication (QSDC) network, the academy added. First proposed by Chinese physicists in 2002, QSDC is considered complementary to another form of quantum secure communication, known as quantum key distribution (QKD). While QKD involves generating encryption keys for use over conventional communication channels, QSDC skips the key-sharing step and sends the actual message directly through a quantum channel. This makes the system more efficient and, in principle, more secure, which has led to some experts referring to QSDC as the 'ultimate form' of secure communication.
Free Malaysia Today
29-05-2025
- 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.
