The Chinese space company iSpace has successfully completed a series of critical ignition tests for its JD-2 engine.
The company, also known as Beijing Interstellar Glory Space Technology Ltd., has been dubbed a competitor of the Elon Musk-owned SpaceX. China is promoting its private sector to champion space technologies to compete with U.S. companies.
Between December 19 and 25, the independently developed JD-2 engine underwent six starting ignition tests, as announced on iSpace’s WeChat, China’s do-everything app, account. These tests included two single-start ignitions, a double-start test, and a second start with variable thrust, fulfilling the company’s annual research and test objectives.
iSpace demonstrated its Hyperbola-2Y rocket in a launch and landing “hop test” on December 10 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the deserts of China’s northern Inner Mongolia region. The test confirmed the ability of iSpace to carry out “hop tests,” a capability previously mastered by Tesla.
Before these system tests, the JD-2 engine had been rigorously tested in various stages, including torch ignition, gas generator ignition, combined gas generator and turbopump testing, thrust chamber cold tuning, box pressure ignition, and high-pressure spin-up relay testing.
All these tests were reported to have been successfully completed, according to Pandaily, a specialist publication about innovation in China, on September 27, laying a solid foundation for the engine’s overall system hot testing.
Ji Haibo, the chief designer behind the Hyperbola-2 and 3 rockets, emphasized the uniqueness of the Chinese aerospace industry’s achievements.
In a statement reported by Pandaily on December 14, Ji dismissed any comparisons to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, saying, “We couldn’t find any information related to rocket recovery. This is purely a result of the perseverance and innovation of Chinese aerospace technicians through repeated trials.”
Ji added how important was homegrown technology, saying that i-Space independently develops everything from technology to products.
The JD-2 engine’s recent test run demonstrated smooth ignition and start-up of the entire system, with the main stage work performance meeting expectations. In Pandaily’s September 27 report, data analysis from the test showed that the overall design of the JD-2 engine is reasonable and correct, with each significant component performing as required by the overall design indicators.
iSpace described the JD-2 engine as a low-cost, high-performance, large thrust-to-mass ratio, intelligent, depth variable thrust liquid oxygen methane engine. It is specifically developed for the Star Honor SQX-3 medium and large liquid rocket. This was announced on iSpace’s WeChat account.
iSpace/WeChat
iSpace also revealed plans for further comprehensive assessments and reliability tests for the JD-2 engine, aiming to optimize and improve it for the early first flight of the SQX-3 rocket.
The continued development and testing of the JD-2 engine signify iSpace’s commitment to providing a reliable, safe, and cost-effective power system for its future space endeavors.
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