China's aerospace sector reached a new milestone this week as the Liqing-2 liquid oxygen kerosene engine completed a critical long-range test on Thursday. Developed by CAS Space, this 110-tonne thrust engine demonstrated multiple successful ignitions during trials, with its longest continuous operation lasting 200 seconds.
The test series achieved a total operational duration of 420 seconds – equivalent to a complete first-stage rocket flight – bringing cumulative testing time beyond 1,000 seconds. Chief designer Chen Zhan confirmed the results indicate readiness for reliability verification testing, a crucial step toward mass production of reusable rocket systems.
This advancement strengthens China's position in the global race for cost-effective space access, with potential implications for satellite deployment and orbital infrastructure development. The progress comes as multiple Asian nations accelerate their space programs, though technical details about commercial applications remain undisclosed.
