China’s Zhongke Aerospace has announced that its Lijian 2 (Force Arrow 2) launch vehicle has successfully passed its pre-shipment review and is preparing for its upcoming mission. The rocket is slated for launch in October this year, marking another significant step in the company’s development of reusable and high-capacity launch systems.
Lijian 2: A Versatile Launch Vehicle
The Lijian 2 is highlighted as China’s first launch vehicle designed with a “universal booster core” configuration. This innovative design offers substantial payload capabilities, capable of delivering 8 tons to a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit and 12 tons to a 200 km low-Earth orbit. Key advantages of the Lijian 2 include its large carrying capacity, inherent high reliability, strong manufacturability, simple and convenient operation, broad expansion potential, and reusability.
These attributes position the Lijian 2 as a primary workhorse for large-scale constellation deployment and low-cost cargo transportation. It is expected to play a crucial role in supporting the scaling up of low-Earth orbit constellations, facilitating low-cost cargo delivery to space stations, and launching various scientific experiment satellites.
Successful Debut and Optimized Production
Zhongke Aerospace confirmed that the Lijian 2 has already completed its maiden flight verification. On March 30th of this year, the Lijian 2 Yaiyao 1 variant successfully delivered the Light Boat precursor test spacecraft and two satellites into their designated orbits. This initial flight mission carried a 4.2-ton payload, achieving a resounding success with excellent performance indicators.
The company emphasized the efficient and orderly progress of the assembly and testing work for the current Lijian 2 Yaiyao 2 variant. The team has continuously optimized the entire process, from production and assembly to testing, thereby iteratively improving product development efficiency and delivery quality. Notably, the total assembly and testing cycle for this mission has seen a steady reduction compared to the first flight. This streamlining of processes brings Zhongke Aerospace closer to its goals of standardized, batch production for launches.
The successful completion of the pre-shipment review signifies that the rocket’s functional and performance indicators meet the requirements for the upcoming flight mission. With all pre-departure preparations concluded, the Lijian 2 is now ready to head to the launch site, poised for its October launch.
