TQ-12
The TQ-12 is a gas-generator cycle rocket engine burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen developed by LandSpace. TQ-12 is the first Chinese liquid rocket engine developed with private funding. The engine has been designed to produce of thrust at sea level.
Five of the TQ-12 engines were used on each of the three Zhuque-2 launches.
History
The engine passed its first powerpack test including the turbopump, valves, ignition components, and the gas generator at a LandSpace facility in Huzhou on March 25, 2019.The engine's first full assembly was delivered in May 2019, and a hot fire test was successfully conducted the same month. The engine passed its first 200 second duration variable thrust test on October 26, 2019. A series of 400s hot fire tests were conducted in January 2021 and the first-stage engine assembly for LandSpace's Zhuque-2 rocket was completed in February 2021. The Zhuque-2 launch vehicle first stage has four TQ-12 engines providing a takeoff thrust of 268 tons. The 2nd stage has a single TQ-12 engine.
37 TQ-12 family engines had been built by LandSpace as of July 2022, with cumulative hot fire test duration of more than 20,000 seconds. A record-breaking 3357 seconds of hot fire time were accumulated by one engine over 11 firings.
In August 2022, LandSpace successfully tested an improved TQ-12A. Compared with the original TQ-12, the engine thrust is increased by 9%, the specific impulse is increased by 40 m/s, and the weight is reduced by 100kg.
Flight history
On December 14, 2022, Zhuque-2 completed its maiden flight. Four TQ-12 engines powered the first stage, which performed normally during the flight. However, the TQ-11 vernier engines used in the second stage failed, and the rocket was lost.In July 2023, the 2nd launch of Zhuque-2 was successful and the payload reached orbit.
In December 2023, the 3rd and final launch of Zhuque-2 was successful.
The subsequent Zhuque-2E uses TQ-15 engines.