China’s Methane-Powered Rocket Launches 6 Satellites in Starlink Rivalry

BEIJING: A new methane-powered rocket developed by Chinese aerospace startup LandSpace Technology launched six satellites into orbit on Saturday, as the company ramps up its push to rival Elon Musk’s Starlink with a cleaner, cost-effective approach to satellite deployment and space technology.

The Zhuque-2E Y2 carrier rocket took off at 12:12 p.m. (0412 GMT) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, marking the fifth flight in the Zhuque-2 rocket series, according to a statement from LandSpace.

LandSpace made history in July 2023 by becoming the first company in the world to successfully launch a rocket powered by methane-liquid oxygen, beating U.S. competitors like SpaceX and Blue Origin to the milestone.

Interest in methane-powered rocket fuel has surged due to its advantages—it’s less polluting, safer, cheaper, and ideal for reusable rockets, which are essential for lowering costs and increasing the frequency of space missions.

The company’s enhanced payload capabilities reflect growing demand in China’s rapidly expanding commercial space industry. With a goal to build a satellite network that can compete with Musk’s Starlink, LandSpace is emerging as a key player in the race for low-Earth orbit dominance.

LandSpace’s Methane Strategy: A Cleaner Path to Reusable Launches

Unlike its inaugural methane-powered launch, which carried no real payloads, LandSpace’s second mission in December 2023 successfully delivered three satellites. Saturday’s launch carried six satellites, most developed by Chinese aerospace firm Spacety, also known as Changsha Tianyi Space Science and Technology Research Institute.

Li Xiaoming, the institute’s vice president, shared during a pre-launch livestream that the payload included a radar satellite, two multispectral satellites, and three for scientific research—ranging in weight from 20 kg to 300 kg (44–660 pounds).

The three experimental satellites support China’s deep-space exploration goals, while the multispectral ones will focus on environmental monitoring and mineral mapping, Li said.

The radar satellite can produce images in all weather conditions, day and night, and see through cloud cover and rainfall. “It can detect millimeter-level shifts in surface structures, making it valuable for urban development, transport, and energy infrastructure monitoring,” Li added.

Spacety was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in January 2023 over alleged satellite imagery support to a Russian firm linked to the Wagner Group. The company denied the allegations, maintaining that its services are intended for civilian and commercial use only.

Reusable rockets—popularized by SpaceX—have proven to be a game changer in reducing launch costs. LandSpace CEO Zhang Changwu has stated the firm is actively developing a reusable model of the Zhuque-2, with a test flight slated for the second half of 2025.

The Zhuque-2E Y2 model includes key upgrades to support reusability. Saturday’s flight also marked the rocket’s first use of a propulsion technique that chills both methane and liquid oxygen below their boiling points, enhancing thrust.

China’s commercial space race has accelerated since 2014, when private investment was allowed. Founded in 2015, LandSpace is one of the country’s earliest and most well-funded space startups.

Its investors include venture capital giant HongShan (formerly Sequoia Capital China), Country Garden’s investment arm, and the state-backed China SME Development Fund. In December, LandSpace raised 900 million yuan ($120 million) from a state-owned fund focused on advanced manufacturing. In 2020, it secured 1.2 billion yuan ($170 million), according to Chinese corporate filings.