Mega Engine Logs 1,000 Seconds on Kerolox Engine, Challenging China’s State Propulsion Lead
Updated
Updated · spacedaily.com · May 31
Mega Engine Logs 1,000 Seconds on Kerolox Engine, Challenging China’s State Propulsion Lead
1 articles · Updated · spacedaily.com · May 31
Mega Engine said its Chi oxygen-rich staged-combustion kerolox engine accumulated 1,000 seconds on a single test article at rated conditions, with 2,000 seconds logged across the broader campaign.
The Xi’an startup said post-test inspection found intact hardware after rapid startups and stable operation, performance that would put Chi in the reusable medium-lift class if confirmed in flight.
Chi is reportedly throttleable from 35 to 75 tons at sea level and reaches 87 tons in vacuum, with specific impulse rated at 302 seconds at sea level and 350 seconds at altitude.
The result is notable because oxygen-rich staged combustion has largely been confined to China’s state propulsion institutes; Mega Engine began operating only in early 2024 and appears to have reached this milestone in under two years.
Independent verification is still absent, with no telemetry, customer, or flight date disclosed, but the program points to China’s push to move state-derived engine expertise into private launch suppliers serving megaconstellation demand.
A Chinese startup claims a decade of engine progress in two years. Is this a genuine breakthrough or a state-sponsored illusion?
With its military-civil fusion policy now covert, how is China secretly accelerating its space race against commercial rivals?
As China builds its own satellite internet, will low-Earth orbit become the next battleground for global information control?