The first vertical takeoff and landing test (VTVL) for the Zhuque-3 reusable methane-powered carrier rocket was successfully conducted in the Gobi Desert in northwestern China on Friday afternoon, according to its developer LandSpace, a Chinese commercial aerospace company.
The company said that the test flight lasted for about 60 seconds, with the trial rocket reaching a height of approximately 350 meters above the ground. The rocket landed 100 meters away from the liftoff point with a precision of about 2.4 meters.
The company said that the full-sized trial rocket prototype verified the key technologies for the first stage of Zhuque-3, which is set to be launched in 2025. These technologies include variable-thrust technology with a wide range and landing guidance and control.
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