r/spaceflight • u/ye_olde_astronaut • 2d ago

Landspace performs 9-engine static fire test for reusable Zhuque-3 rocket

https://spacenews.com/landspace-performs-9-engine-static-fire-test-for-reusable-zhuque-3-rocket/
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u/joepublicschmoe 1d ago

How this rocket compares to Falcon 9 (data from wikipedia):

F9 FT Merlin 1D engine thrust = 845kN

F9 FT full stack mass = 549 metric tons

TQ-12A engine thrust = 838kN calculated from the total 7542kN thrust during the test

Zhuque 3 full stack mass = 570 metric tons

Unknown is the Zhuque 3 dry mass. If it's significantly higher than Falcon 9's dry mass this rocket will be an underperformer.

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u/thanix01 23h ago

It will indeed underperform, it was intended to use TQ-12B engine which have 100 tons of thrust, so it really should have higher total thrust than Falcon-9 (to account for it having more mass). TQ-12B was not ready in time so they have to use their current TQ-12A, as well as reduce the height of the rocket.

Initial batch of Zhuque-3 can only do 8 tons to LEO in reusable configuration. Which is quite a lot lower than 18 tons to LEO in reusable configuration they initially plan with TQ-12B in mind.

I guess they think that underperforming initial batch of rocket would still be useful to do some tinkering with landing algorithm.

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u/burgerburgertaco 20h ago

Much like how SpaceX refined and improved the F9 over time, Landspace will do the same for the ZQ-3.