In a significant step for China’s rapidly evolving commercial space sector, Beijing-based LandSpace successfully reached orbit with its Zhuque-3 rocket this Wednesday. However, the mission fell just short of its most ambitious goal which was to successfully re-landing the rocket booster on a designated pad. China copied but failed!

The mission represented the first-ever attempt by a private Chinese firm to recover an orbital-class booster, a feat that has become the gold standard for launch efficiency and cost reduction.

A Near-Miss in the Desert

Launched from a remote site in northwestern China, the Zhuque-3 performed its primary mission—reaching orbit—as planned. The complication arose during the descent of the first stage. According to a company statement, an “anomaly” occurred after the first-stage engine reignited during the landing phase.

While the booster reached the recovery area, it failed to achieve a soft landing and instead crashed at the edge of the pad. Despite the loss of the hardware, LandSpace officials framed the test as a vital learning experience, noting they will conduct a “comprehensive review” to refine their reusable technology for future missions.

Industry experts view the attempt with optimism. Blaine Curcio, founder of Orbital Gateway Consulting, described the feat as “upwards of 90% successful,” noting that the booster’s proximity to the target suggests the guidance systems worked well. “It will not take years to fix,” Curcio remarked, suggesting the setback was likely a specific mechanical or ignition issue rather than a fundamental design flaw.

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The Push for a “Strong Aerospace Nation”

The drive toward reusability is central to Beijing’s broader strategy to transform China into a “strong aerospace nation.” Reusable rockets are the backbone of modern space competition because they drastically lower costs and shorten the turnaround time between launches.

• Global Precedent: SpaceX pioneered this technology a decade ago and currently dominates the global market.
• American Competition: Blue Origin recently achieved its first successful first-stage landing for the New Glenn rocket, following its own series of previous failures.
• National Strategy: The Chinese government has recently established a new internal department to oversee the commercial sector, integrating it into the national space development strategy.

Catching Up to SpaceX

LandSpace is currently leading a pack of Chinese firms, including Space Pioneer and the state-owned Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, all of whom are racing to field reusable vehicles.

Elon Musk has taken notice of the Zhuque-3’s development, commenting on X (formerly Twitter) that LandSpace appears to be blending architectures from both the Falcon 9 and Starship. While Musk predicted it might take Chinese firms several years to reach the reliability and launch cadence of SpaceX’s current fleet, LandSpace CEO Zhang Changwu remains confident.

Zhang has stated that while they currently lag behind SpaceX, the firm is on the right trajectory. By 2026, LandSpace aims to begin cargo missions to China’s Tiangong Space Station, which would mark the first time a commercial firm supports a national Chinese manned space mission.

Innovation in Fuel

LandSpace has already carved out a niche in space history. In 2023, the firm’s Zhuque-2 became the world’s first methane-liquid oxygen rocket to successfully reach orbit. Methane is considered a “cleaner” and more efficient fuel, ideal for reusable systems. While SpaceX’s Starship also uses methane, LandSpace beat the American giant to a successful orbital delivery using that specific propellant.

As the Chinese commercial sector marks its tenth year of rapid growth, analysts suggest the “return to zero” mindset—learning quickly from failures—will be the defining characteristic of this new space race.