US EditionChina launches reusable spacecraft for fourth time since 2020
The spacecraft aims to reduce costs and increase flight frequency through technological verification, marking China's fourth reusable spaceplane launch since 2020, state media reported.
- China launched a reusable experimental spacecraft from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center aboard a Long March-2F carrier rocket, marking its fourth orbital reusable mission since 2020 testing cost-cutting technologies.
- The program traces back to September 2020 when the first reusable flight lasted two days, followed by August 2022 and September 2024 missions with gaps of 697, 220, and 519 days.
- Observers noted that earlier flights released small objects and published fairing images; China maintained strict secrecy and released no technical details about Friday's mission.
- Despite a temporary gap in emergency launch capabilities to Tiangong, China proceeded with the launch amid nine orbital attempts in 2026 including two failures, U.S. Space Force catalog tracking will later reveal the orbit.
- CASC has outlined plans for a fully reusable two-stage-to-orbit system and is preparing a Mengzhou crew spacecraft in-flight abort test from Wenchang no earlier than Feb. 11.
20 Articles
20 Articles
China successfully launches reusable experimental spacecraft
China succeeded in launching a reusable experimental spacecraft via a Long March-2F carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Saturday.The experimental spacecraft will conduct technological verification for reusable
China launches reusable spacecraft for fourth time since 2020
China successfully launched into orbit a reusable experimental spacecraft aboard a Long March-2F carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the country's northwest on Saturday, state news agency Xinhua reported.
China launches reusable spaceplane on fourth secretive orbital mission
China launched its experimental reusable spacecraft for the fourth time late Friday, once again maintaining strict secrecy around the mission. The post China launches reusable spaceplane on fourth secretive orbital mission appeared first on SpaceNews.
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