Tag: Zhuque-3
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Zhuque-3 Y2 Successfully Recovered: China Achieves Its First Onshore Recovery of an Orbital-Class Rocket First Stage
At 7:35 a.m. Beijing Time on August 19, 2026, the Zhuque-3 Y2 launch vehicle, developed by LandSpace Technology Corporation Ltd. serving as the prime contractor, lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone. Approximately 137 seconds after liftoff, the first and second stages separated. The second stage continued its flight and successfully placed…
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China Achieves First Land-Based Recovery of an Orbital-Class Rocket Booster as Zhuque-3 Returns Upright
Source: LandSpace Technology Corporation Ltd. China has successfully completed its first land-based recovery of an orbital-class launch vehicle first stage using powered vertical landing and landing legs, marking a major milestone in the country’s reusable launch vehicle development. At 7:35 a.m. Beijing time on August 19, Zhuque-3 Y2, a reusable launch vehicle developed by LandSpace…
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LandSpace’s Zhuque-3 Targets Reusable Rocket Milestone in Second Flight Attempt Next Week
The highly anticipated second flight mission of LandSpace’s Zhuque-3 reusable launch vehicle has entered its final countdown. According to launch preparations released by the company, the rocket is scheduled to lift off on August 11, 2026, from LandSpace’s dedicated Launch Pad No. 2 at the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone in Jiuquan, Gansu Province.…
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China Lands Orbital Rocket First Time in Net at Sea
Does China Now Have a Reusable Orbital Rocket? China recovered an orbital rocket’s first stage for the first time on July 10, 2026 — and did it in a way no one has tried before. The Long March 10B’s maiden flight lifted off from the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site at 12:15 p.m. Beijing time,…
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China successfully debuts tallest rocket, LandSpace prepares for second landing attempt
China kicked off a busy month with three missions for a single internet constellation in the span of nearly four days. Another maiden launch saw the nation’s tallest rocket successfully reach orbit, though the debut raised eyebrows with the absence of airspace notices ahead of the mission. Similarly, its first asteroid-sampling mission appears to have…
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China to test capsule further, attempt booster recoveries on land and sea
China is set to perform additional testing of its Mengzhou crew capsule following a successful splashdown test last month. Meanwhile, both commercial and state-owned launch providers are moving closer to attempting propulsive landings of first-stage boosters on land and at sea, as the country seeks to secure its first successful recovery of an orbital-class booster.…
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Despite initial setbacks, Chinese spaceflight expected to see exciting 2026
The new year has not started well for China, with two failures among its first six launches. Even so, 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year, with numerous new launch vehicles — including several reusable designs — expected to debut, and a realistic prospect of the country’s first propulsive landing of an orbital-class…
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China Set for First Attempt to Recover Rocket First Stage With Zhuque-3 Launch
China is set to attempt the recovery of a rocket’s first stage for the first time on Nov. 29, according to an airspace closure notice issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The launch is scheduled to take place from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, with the designated landing zone for the first…
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Surge in static fires as China’s space sector gains momentum
As China’s launch cadence continues to accelerate, so too has the pace of engine testing in recent weeks. A growing number of commercial launch providers are edging closer to the maiden flights of new vehicles — several of which are still on track to debut before the end of the year. Meanwhile, taikonauts aboard the…
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China accelerates toward lunar goals as reusability programs gain momentum
China has conducted two spacewalks from its Tiangong space station in as many months and is advancing on its lunar exploration plans with a successful pad abort test of its crewed Mengzhou capsule. Meanwhile, an experimental spacecraft has made advances in in-space refueling. Meanwhile, the next generation of reusable Chinese commercial rockets, many of which…