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Private Chinese space company LandSpace says it has completed another verification step for its reusable launch vehicle Zhuque-3 (朱雀三号). The rocket returned precisely to its launch site after a test flight – a maneuver known in the industry as a return-to-launch-site landing, simulating recovery of the first stage at the point of takeoff.
Zhuque-3 is a liquid oxygen/methane (methalox) launch vehicle that LandSpace is developing in response to the growing demand for reusability in commercial spaceflight. The company positions the rocket as one of the cornerstones of China’s new generation of commercial launchers, comparable to the reusable systems offered by Western providers.
According to a report by state broadcaster CNR, the successful test lays the groundwork for a full re-flight verification, proving that an already flown and recovered first stage can launch again. This step is seen as decisive before Zhuque-3 can enter regular commercial flight operations.
LandSpace is pursuing an ambitious schedule with Zhuque-3. The company has already completed several high-altitude flight and landing tests and is pushing serial production of the rocket in parallel. A successful restart of the same stage would send a strong signal for China’s commercial space sector, which so far has been dominated by state-built launch vehicles.