Latest news with #Shandong
Free Malaysia Today
14 hours 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.
Reuters
16 hours ago
- General
- Reuters
China's vice premier stresses production safety after deadly chemical plant blast
BEIJING, May 29 (Reuters) - China's Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing on Thursday urged authorities to learn from recent incidents and remain vigilant about production safety, the official Xinhua news agency reported. Special attention must be paid to key industries including firefighting, hazardous chemicals, gas, mining, transportation and construction, Zhang said. The vice premier made the remarks at a production safety event after a chemical plant explosion in China's eastern province of Shandong on Tuesday killed at least five people and six remain missing.
Daily Mail
18 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Terrifying moment chemical plant tank bursts into flames around worker
An explosion at a Chinese chemical plant has killed at least five people. Horrifying footage shows the gas tank going up in flames - as one worker runs for his life, trying to escape the smoke erupting from where he was standing seconds before. In a second video, a tank is seen rocketing into the air before crashing into a fireball. Over 230 firefighters rushed to the blaze in the Shandong province in China on Tuesday, where 19 were injured and six are still missing, state media said. Residents in the nearest city, Weifang, were warned they should wear face masks as officials await results of the air quality after the blast spewed out chemicals. The plant was reportedly used to manufacture pesticides and chemicals for medical use, with over 300 registered employees. The cause of the explosion remains unknown. Seconds from disaster: The man dashes across the gangway to the next tank mere moments before it goes up in flames Deaths: The explosion at the chemical plant in the Shandong province in China has killed at least five people Local farmer Yu Qianming, 69, had moved his grandchild and his wife further away as a precaution but said they would feel safe in their home as long as the wind continued to blow in a northerly direction. Liu Meng said her window frame was forced out of the wall after the blast took place only 500m away from her clothing store. The 60-year-old, who also lives in the same building, said glass had been flung into her boxes of supplies and across her store. Another resident said his property 4.3 miles away shook. Drone footage showed smoke coming from another plant nearby. The plant is being tested by the Weifang Ecological Environment Bureau but said no results were available yet. Blast: Liu Ming's window frames were blasted out of place
Free Malaysia Today
21 hours ago
- Automotive
- Free Malaysia Today
Big BYD dealer in eastern China goes out of business
BYD dealer Qiancheng has published a letter blaming adjustments BYD made to its dealer policy for putting its cash flow under tremendous pressure. (Reuters pic) SHANGHAI : A large dealer of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD's cars in the eastern province of Shandong has gone out of business, with at least 20 of its stores found to be deserted or shut, government-owned media reported. The Jinan Times, which is owned by the government of the provincial capital of Jinan, reported yesterday that Qiancheng Holdings, which ran BYD stores, had fallen into difficulties, affecting more than 1,000 consumers who were still owed warranty coverage and after-sales services. 'The affected stores are spread across four cities, including Jinan and Weifang,' the newspaper said, citing visits it had made. 'Car owners were organising rights protection groups to seek solutions,' it added. The newspaper said Qiancheng, which once had an annual turnover of ¥3 billion (US$416.71 million) and employed 1,200 people, published a letter on April 17 blaming adjustments BYD had made to its dealer policy for putting its cash flow under tremendous pressure. Qiancheng did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters today. Asked for comment, BYD referred Reuters to yesterday's article by Chinese media outlet Cover News that cited an unnamed BYD public relations representative as saying that it was Qiancheng's rapid expansion, rather than its policy adjustments, that had led to its crisis. The representative added that BYD was providing support to Qiancheng. Qiancheng's situation highlights the growing stress facing China's auto market, the world's largest, as intensifying competition puts pressure on suppliers, automakers and dealers. Car dealerships have been particularly vulnerable to a shift in the industry towards direct selling and a slowdown in consumer spending. BYD has a small number of its own stores in China, but mostly uses dealers in that market.
Reuters
a day ago
- Automotive
- Reuters
Big BYD dealer in eastern China goes out of business, local media reports
SHANGHAI, May 29 (Reuters) - A large dealer of Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD's ( opens new tab, cars in the eastern province of Shandong has gone out of business with at least 20 of its stores found to be deserted or shut, government-owned media reported. The Jinan Times, which is owned by the government of the provincial capital of Jinan, reported on Wednesday that Qiancheng Holdings, which ran BYD stores, had fallen into difficulties, affecting more than 1,000 consumers who were still owed warranty coverage and after-sales services. The affected stores are spread across four cities, including Jinan and Weifang, the newspaper said, citing visits it had made. Car owners were organising rights protection groups to seek solutions, it added. The newspaper said Qiancheng, which once had an annual turnover of 3 billion yuan ($416.71 million) and employed 1,200 people, published a letter on April 17 blaming adjustments BYD had made to its dealer policy for putting its cash flow under tremendous pressure. Qiancheng did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters on Thursday. Asked for comment, BYD referred Reuters to a Wednesday article by Chinese media outlet Cover News that cited an unnamed BYD public relations representative as saying that it was Qiancheng's rapid expansion, rather than its policy adjustments, that had led to its crisis. The representative added that BYD was providing support to Qiancheng. Qiancheng's situation highlights the growing stress facing China's auto market, the world's largest, as intensifying competition puts pressure on suppliers, automakers and dealers. Car dealerships have been particularly vulnerable to a shift in the industry towards direct selling and a slowdown in consumer spending. BYD has a small number of its own stores in China, but mostly uses dealers in that market. ($1 = 7.1993 Chinese yuan renminbi)
