The innovative rocket a Chinese company plans to launch into space: the Coca-Cola formula is key to its operation
A compound that’s a major ingredient in the popular beverage is set to play a crucial role in the operation of this technology.
Science never stops surprising us, and few countries have pushed the boundaries of innovation in recent years quite like China. The Asian powerhouse continues to make headlines, and now one company is preparing to launch a rocket using the chemical compound behind Coca-Cola’s bubbles: carbon dioxide.
“Fundamentally transform the model”
The company behind the project is Zhiyu Aerospace Technology, a commercial space firm based in Hunan Province. Zhiyu recently announced that it is working to apply supercritical carbon dioxide cold-launch technology to small launch vehicles. According to the firm, the approach could “truly enable low-cost, high-frequency, rapid-response commercial launches.”
How can carbon dioxide propel a rocket? The system uses supercritical CO₂ to generate high-pressure gas that expands almost instantly, pushing the rocket into the air. Once the vehicle reaches its designated altitude, its engines ignite in flight and begin the normal ascent phase. This process ensures that high-temperature exhaust gases never come into contact with the launch pad.
Today, most commercial rockets rely on conventional launches in which the vehicle’s engines ignite directly on the launch pad before liftoff. Zhiyu Aerospace founder Zhang Zihan said this new approach could “fundamentally transform the model for small liquid-fueled launch vehicles.” The technology is designed to eliminate reliance on fixed launch facilities, reducing the need for the construction and maintenance of costly launch infrastructure.
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