Tianlong-2: Demo Flight
First launch of the Tianlong-2 and first launch for the Chinese private company Space Pioneer. It carried a dummy payload and the iTaikong Science cubesat to SSO for technology demonstration and public outreach Earth observation purposes.
Mission Data
The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).
About Tianlong-2
Tianlong-2 is a medium-sized, 3 stage rocket powered by RP-1 and liquid oxygen, with payload capability of 2 tonnes to LEO and 1.5 tonnes to SSO. Tianlong-2 has a liftoff weight of 150 tonnes, liftoff thrust of 190 tonnes and initially uses 3 YF-102 expander cycle RP-1/LOX engines on the first stage each with a thrust of 63.3 metric tonnes. The second stage uses 1 TH-11 staged combustion RP-1/LOX with a thrust of 30.6 metric tonnes. 7 TH-11 engines will be used for the 1st stage of subsequent vehicles. The third stage uses 1 TH-31 NTO/MMH hypergolic fuel engine with 3000 N thrust and 8 x 150 N RCS thrusters. The Tianlong-2 is the first Chinese RP-1-fueled private orbital rocket to attempt an orbital flight.
Launch updates
Launch success.
Source ↗Rescheduled for April 2 per new NOTAMs.
Source ↗Launch apparently delayed with related NOTAMs cancelled.
Source ↗Launch window extended.
Source ↗Apparently rescheduled to March 31, different launch window per new NOTAMs.
Source ↗Launch delayed per NOTAM cancellation and insider rumors.
Source ↗Added launch per NOTAMs; Launch vehicle and payload identities not confirmed to be related to launch at given time and date.
Source ↗
Launch Site
Launch data from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs.