LandSpace lands Zhuque-3 first stage in China's first orbital-class booster recovery
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LandSpace's Zhuque-3 rocket lifted off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 07:35 UTC+8 on August 19, 2026 and placed a single satellite into orbit. Its first stage then made a propulsive landing on four extendable legs about 390 kilometers downrange in what the company called China's first recovery of an orbital-class booster on land. LandSpace declared the mission a total success.
Key Facts
- LandSpace's Zhuque-3 rocket lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 07:35 UTC+8 on August 19, 2026.
- The rocket's first stage landed on four extendable legs about 390 kilometers downrange, marking China's first orbital-class booster recovery on land.
- The 66-meter stainless-steel rocket is powered by nine methane-fueled engines.
- LandSpace engineers changed the final landing phase to use a single engine and modified the heat shield after the first Zhuque-3 booster crashed in December.
Launch and Orbit Insertion
The Zhuque-3 rocket lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 07:35 UTC+8 on August 19, 2026. Nine methane-fueled engines powered the 66-meter rocket southeast from Jiuquan before the upper stage deployed a single satellite into orbit. The first stage is made of stainless steel.
First-Stage Recovery
The first stage maneuvered toward a prepared landing zone about 390 kilometers downrange and settled to a propulsive touchdown on four extendable landing legs. LandSpace declared the mission a total success. The company said the landing marked China's first successful recovery attempt of an orbital-class first stage using landing legs and China's first booster recovery on land. Dai Zheng, head of the Zhuque-3 project, told Chinese state television the final braking maneuver achieved a soft landing and the planned "one-shot reverse-parking" maneuver.
Post-Landing Inspection
LandSpace engineers changed the final landing phase to use a single engine and modified the heat shield after the first Zhuque-3 booster crashed in December. LandSpace said the recovered first stage will be inspected, maintained, and overhauled before it is returned to service for another flight. LandSpace said the mission lays a foundation for post-recovery inspection, maintenance, reuse flights, and commercial applications.
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LandSpace lands Zhuque-3 first stage in China's first orbital-class booster recovery
