LandSpace ZQ-2E Y6 launches two Qianfan and China Mobile satellites on single rocket
Summary: On June 9, 2026 at 16:23 Beijing time (08:23 UTC), LandSpace's Zhuque-2 Improved (ZQ-2E) Y6 rocket lifted off from the company's LOX-methane launch pad at the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone in northwest China, deploying the Qianfan DTC 01 and China Mobile 02 satellites into their target orbits. The mission was declared a full success. It is the 8th flight of the Zhuque-2 family and the 2nd ZQ-2E mission in just 27 days, following the successful Y5 flight on May 14.
The two payloads serve different roles. Qianfan DTC 01, operated by Shanghai Yuanxin Satellite Technology (Geespace), is part of the Qianfan constellation's data transmission series. Qianfan is China's largest planned LEO broadband internet constellation, with over 14,000 satellites in its design and more than 200 already in orbit following 12 batches launched on Long March 6A and Long March 8 rockets. China Mobile 02, operated by China Mobile Communications Group, supports mobile communications technology verification. Notably, this marks the first time a Qianfan satellite has flown on a commercial launch vehicle rather than a state-owned Long March rocket, signaling that private launch providers are beginning to serve large national constellation programs.
The ZQ-2E is an upgraded variant of LandSpace's Zhuque-2, the world's first methane-fueled rocket to reach orbit (July 2023). The improved vehicle stands approximately 55 m tall, with a 3.35 m core diameter and a 4.2 m maximum fairing diameter. Liftoff mass is roughly 264 tonnes with about 327 tonnes of thrust from four TQ-12A LOX-methane engines on the first stage and one TQ-15A vacuum-optimized engine on the second stage. The rocket can deliver 6,000 kg to LEO (200 km) or 4,000 kg to SSO (500 km), making it the highest-capacity LOX-methane medium-lift vehicle currently in service in China.
The ZQ-2E first flew on November 27, 2024. After Y5 on May 14, 2026, the Y6 mission followed just 27 days later, reflecting an accelerating launch cadence. LandSpace is simultaneously developing the reusable Zhuque-3, a stainless-steel, LOX-methane vehicle with 21.3 tonnes of LEO capacity. In December 2025, ZQ-3 completed China's first commercial reusable rocket orbital launch verification.
The Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone, located near the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert, is China's first dedicated commercial launch facility and has hosted most Zhuque-2 missions.