LandSpace, one of China’s leading private aerospace companies, has successfully flown its Zhuque-3 (ZQ-3) rocket for the first time, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s push toward reusable launch systems—despite a dramatic booster failure during recovery.
All nine TQ-12A engines firing to propel the Zhuque-3 Y1 vehicle off of Launch Area 96B at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
The towering 66-meter stainless-steel rocket, designated ZQ-3 Y1, lifted off at noon from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Inner Mongolia. Built primarily from stainless steel for enhanced strength, thermal resistance, and cost efficiency, the rocket represents China’s first attempt at an orbital mission using a reusable first-stage architecture.
During the maiden mission, Zhuque-3’s second stage performed as planned, placing a mass simulator into its intended orbit. The booster’s nine methalox TQ-12A engines delivered more than 750 tons of thrust at liftoff, while the upper stage relied on a single TQ-15A engine. LandSpace emphasized that methane–liquid oxygen propulsion enables cleaner, reusable operations compared with traditional kerosene-based systems.
The first stage executed its planned reentry toward a designated recovery zone near Minqin County in Gansu province, about 390 kilometers from the launch site. However, as the booster began its landing burn, onboard cameras showed one engine failing, followed by a fire that engulfed the stage moments before it struck the ground in a spectacular explosion.
“An anomaly occurred as the first stage approached the designated recovery zone. No personnel safety issues occurred,” LandSpace reported on social media, adding that an investigation is underway.
Despite the fiery ending, LandSpace is calling the mission a major step forward. The company said the test met key goals for China’s first rocket recovery attempt, such as validating the landing guidance system, grid-fin steering, and thrust-throttling behavior. Footage from the descent shows the booster landing mere meters from its target site—a promising indicator for future controlled landings.
Zhuque-3 Y1’s first-stage hitting the ground following an anomalous landing burn.
Zhuque-3 bears more than a passing resemblance to SpaceX’s Falcon 9. Both rockets feature a reusable first stage, an expendable upper stage, and a cluster of nine engines powering the initial ascent. Zhuque-3’s capacity—18.3 metric tons to low Earth orbit—is also in the same class as Falcon 9, though slightly lower than its American counterpart.
The test comes on the heels of LandSpace’s earlier success with Zhuque-2, which became the world’s first methane-fueled rocket to reach orbit in 2023. Methalox propulsion is gaining popularity globally, with SpaceX’s Raptor engines and Blue Origin’s BE-4 engines also embracing the cleaner, high-performance fuel mixture.
The Zhuque series takes its name from the Vermillion Bird of Chinese mythology, a symbol of fire and renewal—an apt emblem for a rocket designed to rise again.
While Zhuque-3’s debut ended in flames, the launch marks a pivotal moment for China’s rapidly advancing commercial launch sector and sets the stage for future reusable flights that could transform the country's orbital launch capabilities.
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