China has successfully launched the first methane-fueled rocket into space, beating America to the punch, Space.com reports.
The Zhuque-2 rocket was launched from the Gobi desert in the North, and successfully delivered its payload in orbit. The Chinese private company Landscape was responsible for the development of the spacecraft. A previous launch of the Zhuque-2 rocket had failed in December 2022, though the exact cause has yet to be released.
Methane is a natural gas abundantly present on Earth. It is cheaper, cleaner, and safer than oil-derived kerosene. Being able to tap into natural gas for space fuel will have major implications, including space colonization. Methane is present on Mars and other planets, meaning that rockets could return to Earth using fuel found on Mars.
American companies are also working on producing a methane powered rocket. Elon Musk’s Space X is developing the Starship Systems and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin is working on the New Glenn. NASA and other governmental agencies are now almost entirely absent from leading such developments, focusing instead on supporting roles and developing the infrastructure to enable private companies to compete in space.
How China will exploit this space race advantage remains to be seen. It will most likely be able to launch more satellites than anticipated, and could become the first space power in the near future if it maintains this edge.
