Chinese Startup Launches World’s First Methane Rocket, Delivering Blow to Musk

(Bloomberg) — A Chinese startup has beaten Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the race to launch a methane-fueled rocket, boosting the nation’s goal of eventually challenging the U.S. as the dominant power in space.

LandSpace Technology Corp. successfully launched the ZQ-2 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the northwest province of Gansu on Wednesday, according to state broadcaster CCTV.