
(ECNS) -- The "Feiyan-1" meteorological sounding rocket, independently developed by aerospace enthusiasts from high schools in Shenzhen, Beijing, Hebei, Shandong and other regions, was successfully launched in Lenghu, Qinghai Province, at 3:09 p.m. on Tuesday.
The rocket measures 1.52 meters in length, reaches a flight altitude exceeding 8,000 meters, and achieves a maximum speed of approximately Mach 2 (roughly 2,468 kph). It consists of four subsystems: aerodynamics structure, avionics payload, propulsion, and ground station.
Telemetry data shows the rocket reached a peak altitude of 10,555.7 meters above sea level one minute after launch, with the ground station successfully receiving the targeted meteorological data.
Development of the rocket began on June 26, 2024, when high school aerospace enthusiasts from across China gathered in Beijing for intensive training, proposal discussions, and preliminary design. Afterward, they returned to their respective schools and completed rocket design, experimentation, manufacturing, integration, assembly, and testing during their spare time.
"We hope to discover more ambitious and innovative high school students. We are willing to provide university educational resources and actively participate in innovative talent cultivation among secondary school students, to continuously nurture outstanding talents for China's aerospace industry," said Xu Dajun, an expert from Beihang University.
(By Zhang Dongfang)