BEIJING (Reuters) -A flight test of one of Chinese commercial rocket developer LandSpace Technology’s methane-powered rockets failed on Friday after the carrier rocket experienced an “anomaly”, the company said, adding that it is investigating the cause.

Interest has grown in recent years in using rockets fuelled by methane to launch satellites: the fuel is deemed less polluting, safer and cheaper than more commonly used hydrocarbon fuels, and can power a reusable rocket.

The Beijing-based start-up became the world’s first company to launch a methane-liquid oxygen rocket with the successful launch of Zhuque-2 in July 2023, ahead of U.S. rivals including Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin.

LandSpace has since tested various versions of its Zhuque-2 series, including the Zhuq

See Full Page