Lingyun (rocket engine)

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Lingyun (凌云; pinyin Língyún, meaning “Soaring above the clouds”) is a Chinese rocket engine in development by Jiuzhou Yunjian. It uses a gas-generator cycle and runs on liquid methane and liquid oxygen. The engine is throttleable from 30% to 100% and has a vacuum thrust of 123.5 kN (27,800 lbf) and sea-level thrust of 100 kN (22,000 lbf). Its specific impulse is 355 s in vacuum and 287.4 s at sea level. The dry mass is about 248 kg.

In 2018, Lingyun passed tests for the gas-generator, ignitor, and valves. In 2021, it completed multiple starts and deep variable-thrust tests, showing progress toward reusable rocket technology.