Zhongke Yuhang said its Lixun-1 upper stage completed a series of
propulsion-system tests and is scheduled for a maiden flight in Q1 next year.
The upper stage, described as a space tug mounted between a rocket and its
payload, will take over orbital transfer after launch to move and deploy
satellites to individual orbital slots, chief designer Yang Haoliang said. Yang
said pairing Lixun-1 with the Lijian-2 rocket family will broaden mission scope,
fill a capability gap for medium-to-large private Chinese rockets in deep-space
tasks, enable custom launches to special orbits covering most commercial
satellite needs, and allow participation in major national space projects.
