Chinese startup LandSpace lands Zhuque-3 booster, joining SpaceX and Blue Origin
LandSpace successfully recovered the first stage of its Zhuque-3 rocket, becoming the third private firm to land an orbital-class booster.
During a launch from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone, LandSpace's Zhuque-3 rocket lifted off and its nine-engine first stage returned to a landing zone in Gansu, about 390 km from the pad. The company achieved its second attempt at recovery and the first successful leg-based, ground landing of an orbital booster in China, joining SpaceX and Blue Origin as the only private entities with such capability.
The stainless-steel vehicle, which runs on methane and liquid oxygen, can deliver 14.2 metric tons to low Earth orbit and is designed for up to 20 reuses. LandSpace hopes the milestone will strengthen its bid for a listing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's STAR Market, where it seeks to raise 7.5 billion yuan. An updated prospectus filed in June projects profitability by 2029. The firm intends to fly a refurbished booster within the next half-year, aiming to enable more frequent and lower-cost commercial launches.
Why it matters
The landing shows China’s private sector can reuse rockets, lowering launch costs and increasing competition in the global space market.
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