LandSpace ZhuQue-3 Maiden Flight — Orbit Reached, Recovery Failed
88 FOMOLandSpace launched the inaugural flight of its ZhuQue-3 reusable methalox rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on December 3, 2025. The second stage successfully reached a planned 200 x 200 km orbit inclined at 55 degrees — a significant milestone for Chinese commercial launch. However, the first-stage landing attempt approximately 390 km downrange in Wuwei County, Gansu, failed after an anomalous combustion event during the final landing burn. LandSpace confirmed that key phases of the recovery sequence — high-altitude gliding, grid fin deployment, attitude adjustment, and reentry burn — performed as designed, providing valuable data for the next attempt.
Why it matters
China's first-ever attempt to recover an orbital booster. Partial credit only — but the data collected on the recovery sequence is the real prize. LandSpace is targeting a successful recovery in Q2 2026, which would put it meaningfully ahead of all other Chinese commercial launchers.
Details
Mission
- Vehicle
- ZhuQue-3 (ZQ-3 Y1)
- Launch site
- Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China
Coverage
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scientificamerican.com ·
China's ZhuQue-3: Inside the First Chinese Orbital Booster Recovery AttemptDeep look at LandSpace's ZQ-3 recovery attempt and the broader Chinese reusable rocket landscape: Space Pioneer, iSpace, Galactic Energy, CAS Space, Deep Blue Aerospace, Orienspace, and Space Epoch all targeting reusable debut flights in 2026.
More from LandSpace
- LandSpace · Milestone 84
LandSpace Targets Q2 2026 ZhuQue-3 Recovery Attempt, Q4 Reuse
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Veenie.Space Telemetry
LandSpace launched the inaugural flight of its ZhuQue-3 reusable methalox rocket from Jiuquan Satell