China launches first globally successful orbital mission for methane-fueled rocket

Compared with traditional types of rocket engines that can function only once, a methane engine is reusable and more environmentally friendly.

The maiden flight of the ZQ 2 model happened in December at the Jiuquan center. The rocket successfully crossed the Karman Line, the globally recognized boundary between Earth's atmosphere and the edge of space, but malfunctioned in its second stage and failed to reach orbit. That was the world's first attempt to achieve orbit with a methane-fueled rocket.