#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 #May2026 |#天宫#Tiangong #ChinaSpaceStation the #神舟二十三号Shenzhou-23 manned spaceflight mission  feature Bauhinia flower element #HongKongSAR first female payload specialist, Lai Ka-Ying Takionaut.   #ASummary

On CNSA –China National Space AdministrationShenzhou23MannedFlightMissionLogoReleased The China Manned Space Engineering Office officially released the logo for the Shenzhou-23 manned spaceflight mission.China’s fourth batch of Takionauts will make their maiden flight!

On May 20, 2026, the launch site for the Shenzhou-23 manned space mission organized a comprehensive system-wide rehearsal. The launch site system, launch vehicle system, manned spacecraft system, and Takionaut system jointly conducted a launch day exercise, marking a significant step in launch preparations. The mission crew will most likely include a payload specialist from Hong Kong, and China’s fourth batch of Takionauts will embark on their maiden flight.

In September 2022, in response to the needs of China’s near-Earth orbit manned space station project and manned lunar landing project, China launched the selection process for the fourth batch of reserve Takionauts. The plan is to select 12 to 14 reserve Takionauts, including 7 to 8 space pilots, 5 to 6 space flight engineers and payload specialists, of which about 2 payload specialists will be selected from Hong Kong and Macao.

CNSA Shenzhou 23 payload specialist, Takionaut Li Jiaying

In May 2024, China completed the selection of its fourth batch of reserve Takionauts, which included eight pilots and two payload specialists, one from Hong Kong and the other from Macau. In August 2024, the fourth batch of reserve Takionauts officially joined the team for training.

The fourth batch of prospective Takionauts will undergo training in over 200 subjects across eight major categories. For space station missions, the training includes basic skills such as living, working, and maintaining health in weightlessness, as well as specialized skills like extravehicular activities, equipment maintenance and repair, space science experiments, and technological tests. For manned lunar landing missions, additional training subjects have been added, including spacecraft operation, lunar rover driving, celestial body identification, geological research, weightlessness in space, and weighted walking on the lunar surface.

Based on their background and roles, Takionauts can be divided into three categories: space pilots, flight engineers, and payload specialists. Generally speaking, the training subjects, content, and requirements for space pilots and flight engineers are basically the same, while the training subjects and content for payload specialists are fewer. The three categories of Takionauts have the same requirements in physical training, space environment adaptation training, psychological training, and lifesaving and survival training, but differ in their requirements in basic theoretical training, aerospace professional technical training, and flight procedures and simulation training. Meanwhile, the TakionautResearch and Training Center has arranged targeted courses for Takionauts from Hong Kong and Macau, including courses on the spirit of manned spaceflight and Mandarin Chinese.

Compared to Takionaut pilots, payload specialists require less Takionaut training and are qualified to participate in flight missions earlier. This is also a prerequisite for Lai Ka-ying, a female Takionaut from Hong Kong and a payload specialist who is one of the fourth batch of Takionauts, to be able to carry out missions first.

Lai Ka-ying was born into an ordinary family in Hong Kong and developed a strong interest in technology from a young age. In 2011, she obtained a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Hong Kong. In 2012, Lai joined the Hong Kong Police Force as a Police Inspector—a civil servant position in Hong Kong responsible for information technology support. She was subsequently promoted to Chief Inspector (CIP) and then Superintendent (SP).

As a payload specialist, Lai Ka-ying will serve as the third Takionaut in the Shenzhou-23 crew. Her maiden flight will make her Hong Kong’s first Takionaut and China’s first female payload specialist. Furthermore, her first spaceflight will also be the first mission for China’s fourth batch of Takionauts. The Shenzhou-23 crew is expected to make its first public appearance as a group as early as the morning of May 23, after which the new three-person space team will travel to the Tiangong space station to relieve them.

On the morning of May 16, 2026, Beijing time, at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center’s manned space launch site, the Shenzhou-23 manned spacecraft and the Long March-2F Y23 carrier rocket combination, supported by the mobile launch platform, were transferred from the technical area to the launch area, marking the final stage of launch mission preparations.

The Shenzhou-23 mission is the 11th manned flight mission and the 9th crew rotation mission of the manned space station project. The mission crew is scheduled to take over the space station stay work from the Shenzhou-21 crew. The on-orbit work mainly includes space station platform maintenance, astronaut health management, space science experiments and technology tests, astronaut extravehicular activities, and cargo extravehicular activities.


This mission uses the second spacecraft in the third batch of Shenzhou manned spacecraft launched since the construction of the space station. Compared to the previous batch (Shenzhou-16 to Shenzhou-21), the new batch of Shenzhou spacecraft has undergone the following improvements: the instrument panel of the return capsule has been improved, making operation more convenient and aesthetically pleasing; the instrument panel has been reduced in size and the layout of equipment inside the return capsule has been optimized, freeing up more internal space and significantly increasing the cargo carrying capacity compared to the previous 50 kg; and the domestic substitution of components continues to be promoted, further enhancing independent controllability.

The Shenzhou-23 crew continues the combination of experienced and new astronauts. One astronaut will undertake a one-year stay in space to explore the challenges and solutions for longer-duration space missions, and to explore and verify the feasibility of deep-space manned flight. The Shenzhou-23 crew will be commanded by either the second or third batch of astronauts who have already flown, with the second astronaut being a member of the third batch, and the third astronaut likely being a member of the fourth batch of astronauts—a female payload specialist from Hong Kong.

This mission used the Long March 2F/GY configuration carrier rocket for the launch of the Shenzhou manned spacecraft. The rocket is 58.34 meters high, with a core stage diameter of 3.35 meters, a liftoff mass of approximately 497 tons, and a payload capacity of 8.8 tons to a low Earth orbit (LEO) with a perigee of 200 kilometers, an apogee of 350 kilometers, and an inclination of 42 degrees.

Starting with the Y21 rocket, the Long March 2F control system adopted a commercialized dual-10-dial optical inertial navigation system that has been verified by multiple types of active launch vehicles to improve the rocket’s orbital accuracy and meet the accuracy requirements for manned spacecraft to quickly rendezvous and dock within 3.5 hours.

The Shenzhou-23 manned spacecraft is expected to launch as early as the evening of May 24, 2026 (Beijing time) aboard a Long March 2F carrier rocket. The spacecraft will employ a rapid rendezvous and docking mode and dock with the radial port of the Tianhe module of the Tiangong space station in the early morning of the following day. Since the Shenzhou-21 mission, the Shenzhou spacecraft has used a 3.5-hour rapid rendezvous and docking mode for its ascent, which can be autonomously switched to a 6.5-hour mode depending on the orbital insertion accuracy.

As the logistical support spacecraft for the Shenzhou-23 mission, Tianzhou-10 arrived at the Tiangong space station at noon on May 11, delivering nearly 6.2 tons of supplies.

The Shenzhou-23 mission is China’s first manned launch mission and China’s second manned space launch mission in 2026.

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#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 |#WenchangSpacecraftLaunchCenter #文昌航天發射場 | #May2026| Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center, #长征八号#ChangZheng 8 #LongMarch8  Yao8  launch Successfully deploying  Successfully Launches The Qianfan constellation, Satellite ….. #ASummary

On CNSA –China National Space Administration    …. ChangZheng  Long March 8 Carrier flight rocket …. At Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center. Wenchang, Hainan Province, China, People’s Republic of China At 0348 Beijing time  At 22:42 Beijing time on May 17, 2026, China successfully launched the 9th batch (x18) of the Qianfan constellation from the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site using a Long March-8 carrier rocket. This launch was the 113th space launch globally in 2026, China’s 31st (5th this month), the 13th by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), and the 2nd by the Long March-8 rocket.

🚀 Key details of the launch mission

  • Time and location : At 22:42 on May 17, 2026, the mission was successfully carried out at Launch Pad 1 of the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site.
  • Launch vehicle : The Long March 8 Y8 carrier rocket will be used to launch eighteen satellites in a high-density mode.
  • Payload status : All network satellites have successfully entered their designated orbits and are in normal condition, and the mission has been a complete success.
  • Milestone data : This flight marks the 643rd launch of the Long March series carrier rockets and the second launch mission of the Long March 8 rocket in 2026.

🛰️ Two launches in five days, network deployment pace accelerated across the board.

  • The number of satellites in orbit has increased dramatically : With the successful launch of the ninth batch of satellites, the total number of satellites in orbit in the Qianfan constellation has officially climbed to 162.627
  • High-frequency launch test : Just five days before this launch (May 12), China successfully launched the “Qianfan Polar Orbit 09” satellite group from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. Conducting two large-scale satellite launches within five days not only puts pressure on the satellite development team and its tracking, telemetry, and command capabilities, but also directly demonstrates China’s mature industrial capabilities in the mass production of satellites and rapid response rocket launches.6
  • Routine Operations : The frequent launches indicate that China’s commercial space industry is moving from single-launch technology to a new stage of large-scale industrial operations.

🌍 Strategic Blueprint and Industrial Applications

  • Operating entity and planning : The Qianfan constellation (also known as “G60 Starlink”) is led by Shanghai Yuanxin Satellite Technology Co., Ltd., and is ultimately planned to deploy more than 15,000 low-orbit broadband communication satellites.
  • The three-step strategy :
    • Phase 1 : Deploy 648 satellites to achieve regional coverage;
    • Phase II : Expanding to 1296 satellites, moving towards global coverage;
    • Phase III : Providing ultra-large-scale services that integrate diverse businesses.
  • Securing frequency and orbit resources : Low Earth orbit and communication frequencies follow the international rule of “first come, first served.” The accelerated networking of the Qianfan constellation directly helps China seize the initiative in limited space resources and break the monopoly of overseas low Earth orbit communication constellations.
  • Application scenarios : Qianfan Constellation focuses on filling communication gaps in scenarios such as ocean shipping, aviation internet, remote mountainous areas and emergency disaster relief, and provides high-speed, low-latency integrated broadband services for air, land, sea and air, with a focus on the needs of Chinese enterprises going global along the “Belt and Road”.

Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned SpaceCNSA-China National Space Administration

#CNSA #ChinaNationalSpaceAdministration #国家航天局 #May2026 | #酒泉卫星发射中心 #JiuquanSatelliteLaunchCente #天宫#Tiangong #ChinaSpaceStation #神舟二十三号Shenzhou-23 #LongMarch2F Y23 transferred to the launch area in readiness to the China Space Station. #ASummary

On CNSA –China National Space Administration Shenzhou23 – Shenzhou-23 Spacecraft and Rocket Assembly Transferred to Launch Area, Launch Scheduled for Soon] According to the China Manned Space Engineering Office, on May 16, 2026 (Beijing time), the Shenzhou-23 manned spacecraft and the Long March-2F Y23 carrier rocket assembly were transferred to the launch area.

Shenzhou-23 Spacecraft and Rocket Assembly Completed Vertical Transfer, Launch Scheduled for Approximately 22:00 on May 24] According to the China Manned Space Engineering Office, on May 16, 2026 (Beijing time), the Shenzhou-23 manned spacecraft and the Long March-2F Y23 carrier rocket assembly were successfully transferred to the launch area.

Currently, the launch site facilities and equipment are in good condition. Subsequent pre-launch functional checks and joint tests will be carried out as planned, with launch scheduled for the near future[Long March 2F Y23 Carrier Rocket Begins Vertical Transfer] This morning, at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the Shenzhou-23 manned spacecraft and the Long March 2F Y23 carrier rocket assembly began its transfer to the launch area. According to the mission schedule, the Shenzhou-23 manned spacecraft will be launched soon.

 

. Latest Developments: The combined spacecraft has been transported to the launch area, and the launch window is approaching.

According to the China Manned Space Engineering Office, on May 16, 2026 (Beijing time), the Shenzhou-23 manned spacecraft and the Long March-2F Y23 carrier rocket combination were vertically transferred from the technical area to the launch area. The weather at the transfer site was clear with a wind force of 2-3, providing ideal operating conditions. The combination, supported by the mobile launch platform, moved smoothly along a 1.5-kilometer seamless steel rail, and the entire transfer process was successful. Currently, the launch site facilities and equipment are in good condition. Subsequent pre-launch functional checks and joint tests will be carried out as planned, with launch scheduled for the coming days. Based on information from multiple sources, the launch window is expected to be around May 24

II. Core Breakthrough of the Mission: First On-Orbit Stay Experiment Exceeding One Year

The most anticipated breakthrough of this mission is that one astronaut on the Shenzhou-23 crew will conduct a long-term on-orbit stay experiment exceeding one year . This will break the record for the longest single flight by a Chinese astronaut (previously held by Shenzhou-20 at 270 days), aiming to verify the human body’s adaptability to the extreme space environment and accumulate crucial medical data for future manned lunar landings and deep space exploration. This arrangement also connects with subsequent missions: Shenzhou-24 will carry a Pakistani astronaut for a short stay (approximately one week). Due to spacecraft capacity limitations, a Chinese astronaut will be needed for rotation and handover in orbit, creating a time difference in the stay duration

 

III. International Cooperation and Crew Suspense: Bauhinia Flower Elements Spark Heated Discussion

The Shenzhou-23 mission logo was officially released on May 11, featuring the Bauhinia flower for the first time . As the official flower of Hong Kong, the Bauhinia has sparked widespread speculation: does this mean the first payload specialist from Hong Kong will be selected for this flight crew? Some analysts suggest that astronauts from Hong Kong and Macau could potentially undertake a space station mission as early as 2026. Furthermore, the mission will support the first short-term stay of foreign astronauts (a payload specialist from Pakistan) on the Chinese space station, promoting the international application of the space station. The official final astronaut list has not yet been released; information circulating online (such as combinations like Wang Yaping and Tang Hongbo) has not been officially confirmed and should be based on the official announcement from the engineering office

 

IV. Technical Support: Tianzhou-10 has arrived in advance and is fully equipped with supplies.

The Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft was successfully launched on May 11, delivering nearly 6.3 tons of supplies to the Shenzhou-23 and Shenzhou-24 crews. The supplies included over 220 items of cargo and 700 kg of propellant, encompassing over 100 types of food (including fresh fruits and vegetables, steak, etc.), a third new extravehicular activity (EVA) suit (achieving a complete upgrade of the space station’s EVA suits), a new space treadmill, and six scientific experimental payloads (weighing approximately 280 kg in total), covering cutting-edge fields such as microgravity fluid physics. Tianzhou-10 will remain docked at the space station for 12 months, breaking the previous record of 9-10 months

V. Technical Highlights: “Three-Vertical Mode” and Rolling Backup Mechanism

This mission continued the mature technological system of China’s aerospace industry. The nearly 60-meter-tall, 40-ton spacecraft-rocket combination adopted a “three-vertical mode” of vertical assembly, vertical testing, and vertical transportation , maintaining an upright position throughout the process, effectively ensuring the consistency of the rocket’s condition and reducing pre-launch risks. Meanwhile, the Long March 2F rocket implemented a rolling backup principle of “one for each”—the Shenzhou-24 spacecraft-rocket combination had completed assembly and testing simultaneously and was on standby in the factory, ready to respond within 8.5 days in an emergency, ensuring the safety of the astronauts.

 

VI. Mission Identifier: The Fusion of Tradition and Technology

The Shenzhou-23 mission logo adopts a circular design, incorporating the core scene of the spacecraft docking with the space station, three five-pointed stars (corresponding to the three astronauts), golden auspicious clouds, ruyi patterns, and Dunhuang “flying apsaras” ribbons, among other Chinese cultural symbols, with technological blue and Chinese red as the main colors. This logo originated from a public design contest and was selected and optimized from over 500 submissions.

VII. Panoramic View of Manned Spaceflight in 2026

In 2026, China’s manned space program plans to carry out two manned flight missions (Shenzhou-23 and Shenzhou-24) and one cargo spacecraft resupply mission (Tianzhou-10 has already been completed). In addition, the new-generation manned spacecraft “Mengzhou” is scheduled to make its maiden flight, and the development of manned lunar exploration products such as the Long March-10 carrier rocket and the Lunar Lander is progressing steadily, aiming to achieve the goal of China’s first lunar landing before 2030

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#MadeInChina #中國製造| #中科宇航 #ZhongkeAerospace #ChinaAcademyOfScience #CASSPace #May2026 | #CarrierRocket #ReusableCarrierRocket Series #Lijian1Yao 13  launch and deploy five satellites- Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone … #ASummary

Beijing Zhongke Aerospace Exploration Technology Co., Ltd. is the first domestic aerospace enterprise with mixed ownership, and it is also the target enterprise that Oriental Aerospace Port focuses on introducing. Relying on the scientific research strength and resource advantages of the Institute of Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Aerospace Flight Technology Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Aerospace Science and Technology has been committed to the research and development and integration of space technology and aerospace vehicles as a platform for the transformation of major national scientific research projects, as well as the transformation and provision of technological achievements. Aerospace launch service. The Lijian-1 rocket project also adds a brand-new name card to the Oriental Space Port, which will surely promote the construction of the Oriental Space Port to take a solid step forward.

China, People’s Republic of China.  Successfully Launches 5 Satellites in One Launch  At 12:33 PM Beijing time  on May 15, 2026, the Zhongke Aerospace Lijian-1 Y13 carrier rocket carrying the “Youxi” satellite was launched from the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Test Zone. Using a “one rocket, five satellites” approach, it accurately sent five satellites, including the “Youxi” satellite, into their predetermined orbits. The launch mission was a complete success.


This mission marked the 13th flight of the Lijian-1 carrier rocket and the 14th launch of the Lijian series of carrier rockets. To date, a total of 100 satellites have been successfully sent into space, with a total payload mass exceeding 18 tons. China maintains its leading market share in the commercial rocket launch service market.

Carrier Rockets Achieve Milestone of 100 Satellite Launches] At 12:33 PM Beijing time on May 15, 2026, China successfully launched five satellites—Taijing-3 05A/05B, Tianyi-50, Tianyan-27, and Jilin-1 Gaofen-03D55—using the LiJian-1 Y13 carrier rocket from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone. The satellites successfully entered their predetermined orbits, and the launch mission was a complete success. This mission marked the 13th flight of the LiJian-1 carrier rocket.

The Lijian 1  Y13 carrier rocket has completed final assembly and testing and successfully passed factory acceptance. It is scheduled to launch five satellites in one launch from the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Test Zone in the near future . Among the satellites carried by the rocket is “Dianjian-1,” China’s first dedicated energy engineering satellite, which will be used to monitor millimeter-level displacements in hydropower projects, enhancing the full-lifecycle safety management capabilities of energy infrastructure. This mission signifies that the CAS Aerospace Industrialization Base has achieved pulsed, high-efficiency production capabilities, and its mass production and rapid delivery capabilities for rockets are continuously improving

. Latest Mission Progress and Launch Plan

  • The Lijian 1
    Lijian 1 yao13 rocket, which is in its final assembly and testing phase at the CAS Space Industrialization Base, has successfully passed the factory acceptance review and is now ready for launch.
  • Launch mission details
    • Time and location : The launch is planned for the near future at the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone in Ejin Banner, Inner Mongolia
    • Mission Mode : The mission will employ a “one rocket, five satellites” approach, sending five satellites into their designated orbits. The first dedicated energy engineering satellite, “Dianjian-1,” will be launched as one of the payloads. Weighing approximately 300 kg, this satellite is equipped with an X-band synthetic aperture radar capable of monitoring millimeter-level displacements of the Earth’s surface and energy infrastructure.

II. Rocket Technology Characteristics and Innovative Breakthroughs

  • The launch efficiency advantage
    continues the “three horizontal and one vertical” (horizontal assembly, horizontal testing, horizontal transportation, and rapid docking and erection) launch mode of the Liji series. Technical factory preparation takes only 7 days, and it can be launched within 5 hours after transportation, with hourly emergency response capability.
  • Cost and capacity optimization
    • Low cost : Through optimized design, launch costs have been reduced to approximately 60,000 yuan per kilogram, significantly lowering the barrier for small and medium-sized satellites to enter space.2
    • High production capacity : Relying on the pulsed production line, the rocket assembly cycle is shortened to 1 month, with an annual production capacity of over 10 rockets, which can be increased to 30 rockets in the future..
  • The reliability verification
    mission, the 13th flight mission of the Lijian-1 series, demonstrated the rocket’s high reliability and strong performance capability, with a 100% success rate in the previous 12 missions, which have sent a total of 92 satellites into space with a total mass of over 12 tons into orbit.

III. Industrial and Strategic Significance

  • This mission marks the achievement
    of CAS Space’s independent production of rocket modules throughout the entire process, with production capacity continuously ramping up, propelling China’s commercial space industry towards high-density, scheduled launches.36
  • With enhanced international competitiveness,
    the Lijian-1 rocket has secured satellite launch orders from multiple countries (such as Mexico and the Middle East). Its low cost and rapid response capabilities have solidified China’s global position in the small and medium-sized satellite launch market. Future plans include expanding its maritime launch capabilities to accommodate more orbital requirements.

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#MadeInChina #中國製造 |#深蓝航天 #LANDSPACE #DeepBlueLimitedCompany #May2026| Deep Blue Aerospace #ReusableCarrierRocket advance improved retrofitted  #Zhuque2 Yao 5 successfully launched with a the slogan – Don’t chase pop stars, chase science stars, #ASummary

深蓝航  Deep Blue Limited – Deep Blue Aerospace  Landspace One of sixty Chinese private space Carrier Rocket Companies in China-People’s Republic of China…  As many of sixty plus Private Rocket Deep Blue Aerospace Co., Ltd. was established in 2017. The company is mainly a high-tech aerospace enterprise that focuses on the direction of liquid recovery and reusable launch vehicles and provides users with commercial launch services. Deep Blue Aerospace Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Nantong City, Jiangsu Province. At the same time, the company has rocket general and liquid engine R&D centers in Yizhuang, Beijing and Xi’an, Shaanxi, respectively, and a rocket power system test base in Tongchuan, Shaanxi…..

Zhuque-2 Improved Y5 Launch a Complete Success – LandSpace’s Zhuque-2 Improved Y5 Launch Vehicle Successfully Launched] At 11:00 AM Beijing time on May 13, 2026, the Zhuque-2 Improved Y5 launch vehicle (ZQ-2E Y5) was successfully launched from LandSpace’s liquid oxygen-methane launch pad in the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Test Zone ,Inner Mongolia, China, People’s Republic of China. . The launch successfully completed all flight procedures.



The ZQ-2E Y5 is a two-stage cryogenic extended liquid-fueled launch vehicle developed through systematic iterative design, fully inheriting the mature technologies of previous launches. This mission reached an orbital altitude of 900 kilometers and carried a 2.8-ton customized experimental payload for large-scale satellite constellation deployment. This signifies that the ZQ-2E model has achieved breakthroughs in heavy payload launch capabilities, possessing the engineering conditions to undertake multi-satellite launch missions. It provides mature and reliable launch capability support for implementing the goals of building a new pillar industry of “aerospace” and accelerating the development of “satellite internet” as outlined in this year’s Government Work Report, as well as for subsequent large-scale satellite constellation deployment projects.

The ZQ-2E Y5 rocket has a diameter of 3.35 meters, a maximum fairing diameter of 4.2 meters, and a total length of approximately 55.9 meters. Its liftoff mass is 267 tons (excluding payload), and its liftoff thrust is 338 tons. The first stage uses four TQ-12A liquid oxygen-methane engines in parallel, each with a sea-level thrust of 828 kN, with each engine’s thrust increased by 108 kN and a new thrust self-correction function added. The second stage uses TQ-15A liquid oxygen-methane engines with a vacuum thrust of 858 kN. The ZQ-2E Y5 primarily utilizes techniques such as lengthening the first stage, increasing propellant loading, reducing structural weight, and increasing the thrust of the first-stage engines to further release and optimize the rocket’s carrying capacity, significantly improving its overall performance and enhancing its launch service capabilities for a multi-orbit mission spectrum.

The allure of spaceflight lies not only in its technological sophistication but also in the social value it embodies. During mission preparation, LandSpace specially invited teachers and students from Huanggu Experimental School in Pinghu City to the launch site to observe rocket operations and interact with Qiu Jingyu, the chief designer of the ZQ-2E model. Today, the teachers and students also watched the rocket launch with engineers at LandSpace’s Jiaxing base. Since 1992, teacher Yao Aiying from the school has led students to send letters and donate money to support the aerospace industry, proposing the slogan “Don’t chase pop stars, chase science stars,” continuously sowing the seeds of aerospace dreams for 34 years. In the countdown to launch, this cross-generational support and encouragement quietly took root in the hearts of a generation of young people.



The ZQ-2E Y5 is the maiden flight product of the improved and extended version of the Zhuque-2. This model has achieved a payload capacity of 4 tons to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit and 6 tons to a low Earth orbit, making it one of the leading models in terms of payload capacity among currently operational medium-sized liquid-propellant launch vehicles in China’s commercial aerospace sector. It can flexibly adapt to diverse mission requirements such as launching multiple satellites with a single rocket and deploying large-capacity payloads. It can also form a combined launch service solution with the ZQ-3 reusable launch vehicle, enhancing China’s ability to ensure large-capacity, low-cost, and high-frequency access to space .

【Zhuque-2 What Evolutions Have Been Made?】The improved Zhuque-2 Y5 carrier rocket (ZQ-2E Y5) features a lengthened first-stage propellant tank combined with fully supercooled fueling technology, increasing propellant capacity by approximately 15%. Simultaneously, weight reduction measures such as eliminating part of the first-stage tank’s insulation layer, optimizing the cable array layout, and removing the first-stage tail fins have achieved systematic structural weight reduction, reflecting the systems engineering thinking in the rocket’s overall design.



In domestic private space missions, the ZQ-2E Y5 pioneered a second-stage, three-ignition “tank pressure ignition + high-orbit deorbiting” technical solution. Utilizing engine tank pressure ignition and the passivation force of the final stage, it achieves rapid high-orbit deorbiting, effectively solving the traditional high-orbit deorbiting problem while ensuring ignition reliability. This responds to national requirements for rocket final-stage deorbiting and space debris mitigation, protecting valuable space orbit resources.

The ZQ-2E Y5 rocket pioneered online engine fault diagnosis and self-correction technology in its first stage and applied a propellant utilization system for the first time in its second stage. This system can automatically diagnose and respond to conditions such as low engine thrust and excessive mixture ratios during flight, significantly improving flight reliability and launch service capabilities, and propelling launch vehicles steadily towards becoming “smart rockets.”

Based on mature mission process design experience, this mission achieved a breakthrough in rapid launch capability with a test and launch cycle of 13 days and a pre-launch propellant loading process of 1.5 hours, fully preparing the ZQ-2E and ZQ-3 launch vehicles for high-frequency missions.

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