- Supercritical CO₂ could eliminate some of the most expensive infrastructure requirements for rockets
- Cold launches avoid exposing launch pads to destructive exhaust temperatures above 3,000°C.
- Engine ignition only occurs after the rocket has safely left the launch platform.
Chinese aerospace startup Z-Trak Space is exploring an unusual launch system using carbon dioxide (CO₂) typically associated with soft drinks rather than rocket exhaust.
The proposal focuses on supercritical CO₂, a state reached when the gas simultaneously remains above specific thresholds of temperature and pressure.
Developers believe this approach could reduce infrastructure requirements while enabling faster launch schedules for China’s growing commercial space sector.
Cold launch system could reduce reliance on expensive ground installations
The technology ejects the rockets using a rapidly expanding, high-pressure gas before igniting the engines only after reaching a predetermined altitude.
This sequence differs sharply from conventional hot launches where the engines ignite directly on the launch pads before the vehicle begins to climb skyward.
Because combustion occurs later in flight, the burning exhaust never hits the launch platform or surrounding support infrastructure below.
Traditional launch facilities require extensive protection systems because exhaust flows exceeding 3,000°C can rapidly damage structures during operations.
Launch towers and deep flame trenches therefore require significant repairs and maintenance after missions involving repeated exposure to extreme temperatures.
According to the company, these requirements increase costs and slow launch frequencies whenever operators pursue rapid-response commercial missions.
“In commercial space launch scenarios requiring rapid, high-frequency response, this results in high time and financial costs, directly affecting launch tempo and response speed,” the company said.
Z-Trak Space believes that eliminating these burdens could increase launch tempo while significantly reducing reliance on permanent launch infrastructure over time.
Chinese commercial sector sees cold launch technology as possible advantage
The initiative combines the efforts of Hunan-based Zhiyu Aerospace Technology and Chiyang Space Power Technology Company under a recent collaboration agreement.
Z-Trak Space founder Zhang Zihan, who studied aerospace engineering at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, described the concept as potentially transformative.
Zhang said the method would “fundamentally change the model of small liquid-fueled launch vehicles” if successfully implemented on a commercial scale.
The company also argued that supercritical CO₂ launches could reduce fuel consumption during low-altitude portions of flight operations.
Because supercritical CO₂ is non-toxic, developers also say the launches would avoid generating harmful emissions locally near ground facilities.
Z-Trak described the system as offering “high safety, low costs, clean environmental performance and low ablation” during launch procedures.
China’s commercial space industry recorded 50 launches in the previous year, accounting for more than half of the total completed national missions.
Whether CO₂ launches will become commercially feasible remains unclear, although the proposal reflects ongoing experimentation in China’s rapidly evolving space industry.
Via SCMP
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