China’s first reusable methane-fueled rocket completes sea-based test flight VIDEO

Chinese commercial space firm Beijing Sepoch Technology Co. (Sepoch) announced the successful completion of the nation’s first sea-based flight and recovery test of a reusable rocket powered by liquid oxygen and methane on May 29.

The test, conducted at the Haiyang Oriental Aerospace Port in Shandong Province, marks a major milestone for China's private aerospace sector. The rocket, a verification version of Sepoch’s “Hiker” series, is the country’s first to integrate three advanced technologies: liquid oxygen-methane propulsion, a full-scale stainless steel structure, and offshore soft landing recovery, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

According to Sepoch’s statement on social media, the test signifies the transition of large stainless steel reusable rockets into the engineering application phase. It also paves the way for the maiden orbital flight of the Hiker rocket series later this year.

The prototype rocket stands 26.8 meters tall, with a diameter of 4.2 meters and a liftoff mass of approximately 57 tons. The test flight lasted 125 seconds and reached an altitude of 2.5 kilometers before successfully landing at sea.

The flight validated eight critical stages of the launch and recovery process: ignition and liftoff, full-thrust ascent, variable thrust control, first engine shutdown, passive descent, engine reignition, deceleration and hovering over the sea, and final soft landing. Sepoch reported that all phases were completed smoothly and the rocket was recovered intact after splashdown.

In this vein, Sepoch has become the first Chinese company to successfully integrate multiple advanced technologies in a reusable rocket platform, positioning itself as a key player in the nation’s growing commercial space industry.

By Sabina Mammadli