BEIJING, April 15 (Xinhua) -- The team for China's recently launched Qingzhou cargo spacecraft test vehicle released the first batch of scientific and engineering results on Wednesday.

The test flight focused on key technology verification, low-cost design and exploration, and expanded missions, successfully achieving all its objectives and laying a solid foundation for the development of the formal Qingzhou cargo spacecraft, according to the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IAMCAS).

The test vehicle was launched into orbit on March 30 aboard a Lijian-2 Y1 carrier rocket. Developed by the IAMCAS, the vehicle has a total mass of 4.2 tonnes, carries one tonne of scientific payloads, and has a three-year in-orbit operational life.

Since its launch, this vehicle has completed flight control tests and actively raised its orbit to 600 km, officially entering its long-term operational phase, where it is conducting key platform technology verification, stability tests and extended mission trials.

The test vehicle has achieved multiple key technological breakthroughs, including autonomous proximity and safe retreat for large-inertia spacecraft, long-term orbital habitation and scalable power systems. These innovations have reduced R&D costs while ensuring reliability, paving the way for the formal Qingzhou cargo spacecraft and enabling rapid technological upgrades, according to IAMCAS.

Significant progress has also been made in low-cost design and exploration, opening new pathways for reducing costs and improving efficiency in space operations. In power systems, foldable ultra-thin flexible monocrystalline silicon solar cells have performed stably in orbit at just one-tenth the cost of traditional cells.

In communications, a new-system air-to-air communication module has demonstrated excellent performance, enabling data transmission over distances exceeding 450 km. The use of 3D printing and new materials has effectively reduced costs and shortened manufacturing cycles, fully validating the in-orbit reliability of low-cost components.

Extended missions, including multi-satellite deployment and in-orbit servicing, have also been successfully completed. On April 2 and 3, the test vehicle released two small piggyback satellites and conducted long-range proximity and safe retreat tests with the New Journey 01 satellite, validating the practicality of multi-body variable-configuration attitude-orbit coupling control technology, the IAMCAS noted.

To date, six new-technology payload experiments have been completed, with positive results achieved in active vibration isolation and in-orbit metal manufacturing, filling multiple technological gaps.

This test flight has not only provided critical data for the development of the formal Qingzhou cargo spacecraft and explored new models for efficient and reliable development, but has also opened viable paths for low-cost, commercial space operations and cooperation.

The Qingzhou cargo spacecraft will continue to undergo iterative optimization, striving to build a reliable bridge for cargo transport between Earth and space, promoting high-quality development of China's commercial space sector, the IAMCAS said. ■