China's Zhuque-2E Rocket Deploys Ten Satellites in Successful Launch

China successfully launched the Zhuque-2E Y4 carrier rocket on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. The rocket lifted off at 19:40 Beijing Time from the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Test Area in northwest China. The flight test mission was declared a complete success after the rocket deployed ten satellites into their preset orbits.

Payloads and Mission Objectives

The ten payloads included Guoxing Aerospace's Xingdai-39, 44-50 satellites, and Guangchuan-03, 04 satellites, according to Xinhua News Agency. Additionally, eight satellites from the 02 group of a "star compute" plan, developed by Adaspace Technology Co., Ltd. (ADAspace), were part of the launch. These ADAspace satellites are designed to operate in dawn-dusk orbits.

According to ADAspace, the satellites carry high-performance computing payloads, high-speed inter-satellite and satellite-to-ground laser communication payloads, and low-light cameras. The mission aims to conduct in-orbit verification of key technologies, including liquid-cooled fluid loops at the 10,000-watt level, ultra-large deployable radiative cooling wings, full-domain laser communication networks, and in-orbit training of foundation models. ADAspace stated it intends to advance technological iteration and promote space computing technology innovation.

Rocket Specifications and Launch Cadence

The Zhuque-2 improved variant is a medium-lift liquid-fueled rocket using liquid oxygen and methane as propellants. It has a maximum low-Earth orbit payload capacity of six tons. To accommodate the varying size, weight, and orbit requirements of the satellites, the development team optimized the satellite layout inside the fairing and the separation sequence.

This launch occurred 29 days after the previous mission of the improved Zhuque-2. Ma Haijing, general manager of the marketing department at LandSpace, noted that the development team has improved satellite-rocket testing facilities and adopted standardized procedures to support high-frequency launches. "Rideshare missions involve multiple clients and satellites with different technical approaches... This kind of systematic work better demonstrates how a private launch company coordinates task organization and scheduling across multiple clients," said Ma.

Why it matters

The successful deployment of these satellites marks a step forward in China's commercial space sector, particularly in the development of AI space infrastructure. The "star compute" plan by ADAspace aims to build a network of 2,800 computing satellites. The first group was launched in May 2025, and the third group is scheduled for orbital deployment in 2026. Ma Haijing stated that the Zhuque-2 will primarily serve the large-scale construction of China's satellite internet constellation by providing rapid and dependable launch capacity.

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Sources

• picture.youth.cn (in Chinese): One Rocket, Ten Satellites: Success in Launch of Zhuque-2 Improved Model Yao-4 Carrier Rocket_Picture Channel_China Youth Network
• bastillepost.com: China's Zhuque-2E rocket launches 10 satellites into space
• bignewsnetwork.com: Update: China's Zhuque-2E rocket launches 10 satellites into space

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.