China’s commercial spaceflight milestone: Zhuque-3’s maiden flight successfully reaches orbit, first stage recovery fails

China’s commercial spaceflight milestone: Zhuque-3’s maiden flight successfully reaches orbit, first stage recovery fails

On December 3, the Zhuque-3 carrier rocket, independently developed by LandSpace, successfully delivered its second stage into the designated orbit, marking significant progress in the development of large liquid oxygen methane rockets by China's commercial aerospace sector. Although verification of the first stage recovery failed due to abnormal combustion, the development team obtained critical flight data and is investigating the cause.

According to Xinhua News Agency, the Yao-1 Zhuque-3 launch vehicle was launched that day at the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Test Zone. It completed its flight mission according to procedures, and the rocket’s second stage successfully entered the designated orbit. This is an important verification of China’s commercial aerospace companies’ ability to develop and launch large liquid oxygen methane carrier rockets. However, during the recovery process, the first stage experienced abnormal combustion and failed to achieve a soft landing at the recovery site. The specific cause is under analysis and investigation.

Despite the recovery failure, capital markets remain enthusiastic about the commercial aerospace sector. Around the time of the launch, the A-share commercial aerospace concept sector rallied against the trend; Shanghai Hanxin and Tender Shares both hit their daily upper limits, Zhonghuan Hailu surged over 10%, Shunhao shares previously hit their daily limit, while Shanghai Hugong, Shaanxi Huada, Aerospace Development, and Aerospace Intelligence also followed the uptrend.

Behind the market's keen interest in the commercial aerospace sector are three major catalysts: policy, technology, and industrialization. The National Space Administration recently established the Commercial Aerospace Department and issued the Action Plan for Promoting High-Quality and Safe Commercial Aerospace Development (2025-2027), proposing the incorporation of commercial aerospace into the overall national space development program, accelerating the creation of new quality aerospace productivity, achieving an overall improvement in the effectiveness of space development, and supporting the construction of a strong space nation.

Recovery Test Encountered Setbacks, but Technical Value is Significant

Zhuque-3 is a new generation low-cost, high-capacity, reusable liquid oxygen methane carrier rocket independently developed by LandSpace. The rocket is 66.1 meters in length, has a body diameter of 4.5 meters, and a payload fairing diameter of 5.2 meters. Its liftoff mass is about 570 tons, with liftoff thrust exceeding 750 tons. The first stage is equipped with reaction control systems, grid fins, and landing legs, enabling vertical return, recovery, and reuse after orbital launch.

Image source: LandSpace Official Website

Zhuque-3 uses stainless steel as the main structural material for the rocket body. Its propulsion system is based on the Tianque series of liquid oxygen methane engines: the first stage uses nine TQ-12B engines and the second stage uses one TQ-15B vacuum engine. For single-use missions, its low-earth orbit carrying capacity is 21.3 tons; for downrange recovery missions it is 18.3 tons; and for return recovery missions, 12.5 tons. In the future, the first stage may be reused up to 20 times.

According to reports, although the mission did not achieve the intended recovery for the first stage, it tested and validated the correctness and rationality of Zhuque-3’s full testing, launch, and flight procedures, assessed system interface compatibility, and acquired key engineering data from actual flight conditions. The development team will promptly conduct a comprehensive review and technical reset, identify the cause of the fault, and continue to advance reusable verification in subsequent missions.

Zhuque-3 is leading in the domestic development of reusable rockets and has attracted the attention of Elon Musk. In October this year, Musk commented on social media that China’s reusable rockets, including Zhuque-3, incorporate some Starship features into the Falcon 9 architecture, use stainless steel and methane oxidizer, which could allow them to beat Falcon 9. Musk previously commented that if all goes well, Zhuque-3 could surpass Falcon within five years.

According to National Business Daily, the maiden flight of Zhuque-3 attracted significant market attention. If the rocket is launched and successfully recovered, this would be a milestone for China’s aerospace sector, making China the second country after the U.S. to master reusable rocket technology. At the same time, LandSpace would become the third company in the world, after SpaceX and Blue Origin, capable of recovering rocket first stages.

LandSpace was founded in 2015 and is one of the earliest commercial aerospace enterprises in China. The Zhuque-3 project was officially launched in August 2023, with vertical takeoff and landing recovery flight tests completed within 100 meters five months later, and a ten-kilometer flight test completed in September last year. In July this year, LandSpace began its IPO coaching, with the company valued at more than 20 billion yuan.

Zhuque-3 reusable liquid oxygen methane carrier rocket

Image source: LandSpace official WeChat account

Domestic Reusable Rocket Competition Accelerates

In addition to Zhuque-3, other reusable rockets under development in China include the “Long March 12A” and “Hyperbola-3”. “Long March 12A” is being developed by the Eighth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology and completed China’s first 10-kilometer vertical takeoff and landing flight test of a reusable launch vehicle in June 2024, with a plan for a maiden flight of a four-meter reusable launch vehicle in 2025.

“Hyperbola-3” is being developed by iSpace, which is China’s first commercial aerospace company to complete the orbital launch of a carrier rocket. According to the company’s official website, the diameter of this rocket is 4.2 meters and it uses a liquid oxygen methane propellant. For single-use missions, its low-earth orbit payload capacity is 14 tons, with downrange recovery payload of 8.5 tons. The first flight and sea recovery are planned for around the end of 2025, with reusable flights expected in 2026.

CITIC Securities’ research report points out that the Ministry of Defense Science and Industry recently issued the 2026 civil service entrance exam announcement on its official website, recruiting for a “Commercial Aerospace Department Aerospace Supervision Post,” signifying the formal establishment of this key functional institution. Huatai Securities’ research report notes that the commercial aerospace sector has reached a “policy,” “performance,” and “technology” triple turning point, with China StarNet achieving intensive networking this year, likely to drive performance realization in upstream satellite manufacturing and related sectors.

Shanghai Hugong’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Shanghai Huhang Satellite Technology Co., Ltd., mainly engages in commercial satellite final assembly integration and the design and manufacturing of core aerospace components. Shanghai Gangwan has successfully supported the launch of 16 satellites, with more than 40 satellite power systems and solar structural systems functioning normally in orbit, serving over 20 satellite system integrators.

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