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According to Chinese news portal Sina, commercial launch provider LandSpace (蓝箭航天) has completed a successful first-stage recovery test with its Zhuque-3 rocket. The feat is seen as a major step in China’s race toward reusable launch vehicles and has put the private sector in the spotlight.
Zhuque-3 is the latest rocket generation from the company, named after the mythical vermilion bird. Unlike previous expendable launchers, it is designed for partial reusability through recovery of its main engine block, following the model of Falcon 9 in the United States. Like several other Chinese private providers, LandSpace relies on methalox engines burning liquid oxygen and methane.
The successful recovery marks progress for China’s commercial space industry, which is deliberately promoted by the government. In addition to LandSpace, companies such as Space Pioneer, CAS Space and Galactic Energy are pursuing their own reusable concepts. The sector is seen as strategically important for cutting launch costs and making large satellite constellations such as Qianfan economically viable.
Observers read the Zhuque-3 success as a sign that China has caught up considerably in the international race for reusable launch vehicles. Whether and when the first commercial mission using a reused stage will take place was not specified by the company.