A Chinese company has assembled an 80-tonne thrust liquid oxygen-methane engine in Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province.
The TQ-12 engine, independently developed by private rocket-maker LandSpace over the past two years, is a new generation power system for carrier rockets. Its main components, the thrust chamber, gas generator, turbopump and valve have passed tests.
The TQ-12 has a lower servo motor load and engine wobble range. Its integrated design can reduce both components quantity and cost.
The design of the TQ-12 used 3D digitization and computer simulation verification techniques, while 3D printing, laser welding, and digital bending were used for its manufacturing.
Source(s): Xinhua News Agency