On May 14, 2026, at 03:00 UTC, Chinese company LandSpace conducted the first launch of the upgraded Zhuque 2E Y5 rocket from Launch Pad 96A at the Donfeng Commercial Space Experimental Zone near Jiuquan.The mission carried a 2.8-ton ballast into an orbit of 209 x 872 kilometers with an inclination of 89°.

This marked the seventh launch of the Zhuque 2 series and the fourth attempt with the Zhuque 2E variant, following the Y3 mission in August 2025 that failed to reach orbit.The new version, referred to as Zhuque 2E v2 or Block 2, features an 8-meter longer first stage, no aerodynamic fins, and an overall length of 55.9 meters compared to 47.8 meters for the previous model.

The first stage uses four TQ-12A methane engines producing 828 kN each at sea level, while the second stage uses a single TQ-15A engine producing 858 kN in a vacuum.These enhancements, combined with supercooled propellants, increase the rocket's payload capacity by approximately 15%.

Despite the successful launch, the second stage reportedly failed to perform a second ignition to circularize the orbit, leaving the ballast in an elliptical orbit.

LandSpace continues to develop both the Zhuque 2E and the more powerful Zhuque 3, which will feature a reusable first stage and a payload capacity of 13.8 tons to low Earth orbit.