CAS Space delays Lihong-2 suborbital rocket debut to 2027

China's CAS Space confirmed the maiden flight of its reusable suborbital Lihong-2 rocket has slipped to Q1 2027. The delay stems from maturing the in-house Liqing-1 LOX/kerosene engine, which needs three-restart and deep-throttle flight verification.

• Lihong-2 carries up to 3 tonnes of payload and seven passengers
• Five Liqing-1 engines deliver about 150 tonnes of liftoff thrust at 60 tonnes mass
• Launch moved from late 2026 to the first quarter of 2027
• The maiden flight will carry science payloads under a Guangzhou Laboratory contract