The first launch of a Chinese methane rocket ended in failure.

The first-ever flight to near-Earth orbit by a methane-powered launch vehicle ended in failure. The Zhuque-2 rocket of the Chinese company Landspace reached space, but did not reach the desired orbit due to problems with the engines of the second stage. Methane has long been seen as an alternative to kerosene as a propellant in rocket engines (oxygen acts as an oxidant) - it makes launches cheaper and better suited for reusable engine technologies. In addition, methane can be obtained on Mars, which is important for future manned expeditions to the planet. Currently, a number of companies are developing such missiles.