The TQ-12 (Chinese: 天鹊-12; pinyin: Tiānquè-12, lit. Sky Lark 12) is a gas-generator cyclerocket engine burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen developed by LandSpace.[4] TQ-12 is the first Chinese liquid rocket engine developed with private funding.[5] The engine has been designed to produce 670 kilonewtons (150,000 lbf) of thrust at sea level.[6]
A TQ-12 engine during a hot firing test on 14 May 2020
The engine passed its first power pack test including the turbopump, valves, ignition components, and the gas generator at a LandSpace facility in Huzhou on March 25, 2019.[7] The engine's first full assembly was delivered in May 2019, and a hot fire test was successfully conducted the same month.[8][9] The engine passed its first 200 seconds variable thrust test on October 26, 2019.[3] Series of 400s hot fire tests were conducted in January 2021 and the first-stage engine assembly for LandSpace's Zhuque-2 rocket was completed in February 2021. It consists of four TQ-12 engines providing a takeoff thrust of 268 tons.[10] 37 TQ-12 family engines have been built by LandSpace as of July 31, 2022, with a hot fire test duration of more than 20,000 seconds. A record-breaking 3357 seconds of hot firing time were accumulated by one engine after it was started 11 times.[11]
In August 2022, LandSpace successfully tested the improved TQ-12A. Compared with the original TQ-12, the engine thrust is increased by 9%, the specific impulse is increased by 40 m/s, and the weight is reduced by 100kg.[11]
On December 14, 2022, Zhuque-2 completed its maiden flight. Four TQ-12 engines powered the first stage, which performed normally during the flight. However, the TQ-11 vernier engines used in the second stage failed, and the rocket was lost.[12]
In July 2023, the 2nd launch of Zhuque-2 was successful and the payload reached orbit.
