The Chinese aerospace company CAS Space has successfully completed a test flight of its suborbital vehicle "Lihun-1 Y1," which is designed for space tourism purposes. This was reported by Xinhua.
During the flight, reaching a maximum altitude of 120 km, the capsule successfully returned to the Jiuquan launch site, thanks to the use of a parachute system. The tests included the evaluation of aerodynamic braking technologies during re-entry into the dense layers of the atmosphere, as well as a super-precise landing system.
CAS Space views this project as an economically viable platform for the commercial sector. According to the developers, the vehicle can provide over 300 seconds of stable microgravity, making it suitable not only for tourists but also for conducting scientific experiments.
In the test flight, equipment from the Institute of Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was onboard, intended for laser additive manufacturing in a weightless environment. The results of the tests confirmed the functionality of the rocket platform for supporting orbital production.
Additionally, samples of rose seeds were sent into space, which researchers intend to use to study genetic mutations with the aim of developing new varieties and creating a "space rose" germplasm bank.
According to Deputy Chief Designer Wang Yincheng, the company plans to expand the "Lihun" series of vehicles. Currently, CAS Space is focused on developing life support and emergency rescue systems for future missions.
