Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) — China has successfully completed a full-scale test of a 140-ton liquid oxygen-methane propellant engine that will power the country’s reusable launch vehicles, the engine’s maker said Tuesday.
The rocket engine, developed by the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, has the highest thrust among China’s existing open-cycle liquid oxygen and methane engines.
It is intended to be used as a critical power source for reusable rockets and will play a vital role in future space-to-Earth transportation systems, reusable launch vehicles and the development of heavy-lift rockets.
The academy said the latest successful test marks a breakthrough in the country’s development of 100-ton liquid oxygen and methane engines. The entire process from the official start of engine development to the completion of testing took just seven months.
In December 2024, the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology tested its 90-ton reusable liquid oxygen-kerosene engine for commercial spacecraft, a major achievement since it began focusing on commercial spaceflight in 2023.
China’s 2024 government work report called commercial space exploration “a new engine of economic growth.”
The academy assured that additional efforts will be made to develop heavier engines, in particular, 200-ton reusable engines running on liquid oxygen and methane. -0-