Chinese commercial reusable rocket conducts second vertical liftoff and landing test

Another successful vertical liftoff and landing (VTVL) test was conducted on Sunday for the full-sized first stage of China's commercial reusable Hyperbola-2Y rocket (coded as SQX-2Y), according to the Beijing-based aerospace company Interstellar Glory.

The rocket, powered by liquid oxygen/methane, blasted off at 5:07 p.m. Beijing Time from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. It reached a height of 343.12 meters with a flight duration of 63.15 seconds before its smooth and precise landing.

Developed by Interstellar Glory, also known as iSpace, the rocket completed its first VTVL test on November 2, reaching a height of 178 meters above the ground.

The test team then conducted the reuse maintenance and testing within 20 days for the second consecutive flight mission.

The company noted that the completion of the two consecutive VTVL missions by the same rocket signifies a significant breakthrough in the reusable technologies of China's commercial liquid-propellant launch vehicles.

"The second test was planned to reach a height of about 350 meters above the ground, with the rocket making a horizontal movement for 50 meters," said Jiang Yi, designer of liquid-propellant rockets at Interstellar Glory.

"This test aims to comprehensively evaluate the reusability of the rocket and assess the stability and adaptability of all its internal systems," she added.

Hyperbola-2Y's first stage uses JD-1 liquid oxygen/methane engine that can be reused soon after relevant tests and checks following the previous flight, according to the company.

Sunday's flight proved the rapid reuse capability of the rocket and further obtained flight data gathered from all working systems, which has laid the technical foundation for the launch vehicle to conduct more reusable flights more efficiently, said the company.

The first stage is 3.35 meters in diameter and 17 meters in height, said Ji Haibo, chief designer of Hyperbola-2Y. "When combined with the second stage, the rocket reaches a full length of 26 meters. After tests on land, we are planning to conduct a launch at sea next year."

Ji said that the proven reusable technologies will be applied in Hyperbola-3, a 70-meter-tall reusable rocket powered by liquid oxygen/methane. This rocket is expected to have a maiden flight in 2025 and will be used in projects such as deploying satellite internet constellations.

(Zheng Yibing contributed to the story.)