Overview
- The two-stage methalox rocket lifted off around 10:00 a.m. Beijing time from the Dongfeng commercial site at the Jiuquan spaceport in Gansu province.
- CASC confirmed the second stage reached its planned orbit and reported collecting key engineering data during the flight.
- The company said the first stage did not successfully return and that the causes are being analyzed for future tests.
- NASA’s public tracking indicated a planned landing zone roughly 300 kilometers from the launch site, according to TASS.
- Local outlet Kechuangban Zhibao, cited by RIA Novosti, described the vehicle as a reusable design using liquid oxygen–methane engines, with seven LunYun engines on the first stage and a YF-209V on the second.