China Successfully Completes First 10-Km Vertical Takeoff, Landing Test of Reusable Launch Vehicle

China's first 10-kilometer vertical takeoff and landing flight test of a reusable launch vehicle was successfully completed on Sunday, marking its largest takeoff and landing of a reusable launch vehicle to date and the first application of a domestically developed deep-throttling liquid oxygen-methane engine in a 10-kilometer return flight.

A new technology verification rocket for a reusable launch vehicle with a diameter of 3.8 meters stood on the launch pad around 1 pm at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center with three variable-thrust liquid oxygen methane engines being ignited, emitting distinctive blue flames.

 The rocket ascended to about 12 kilometers, then the central engine adjusted its thrust, allowing the rocket to descend in a controlled manner. At 50 meters above the ground, four landing legs deployed, and the rocket slowly descended, approaching zero height, and landed steadily on the recovery pad, achieving a pinpoint vertical soft landing.

This test represents the largest-scale vertical takeoff and landing flight test of a reusable launch vehicle in China to date. It is also the first application of a domestically developed deep variable-thrust liquid oxygen methane engine in a 10-kilometer-level return flight.

The entire test lasted for about six minutes. The rocket went through five phases including accelerated ascent, decelerated ascent, accelerated descent, decelerated descent, and slow descent, achieving "successful liftoff, precise control, effective deployment, and stable landing."