China completes test of liquid-propellant rocket engine

BEIJING, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- China has completed the first test of a liquid-propellant rocket engine which has the largest thrust in the country, its developer announced on Saturday.

Developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the liquid oxygen-kerosene engine has a designed thrust of up to 500 tonnes, about four times that of the current engines of the same type at service.

The success of the test marks a major breakthrough in the development of the rocket engine of this type, the company said.

On the same day, the company also successfully tested its 80-tonne thrust liquid oxygen-methane engine, which has the largest thrust among engines of this type.

The engine has a ground thrust of up to 80 tonnes and a vacuum thrust reaching 90 tonnes. It was designed to be used in commercial rockets, and can provide power for reusable launch vehicles and low-cost disposable carrier rockets.