Context: Beijing-based private firm LandSpace launched its Zhuque-3 Y2, placing the Honghu-03 satellite into orbit and successfully soft-landing the reusable first stage in Gansu Province.
What is Zhuque-3?
- A two-stage, medium-to-heavy, partially reusable orbital launch vehicle, built with a stainless-steel structural frame and propelled entirely by liquid oxygen and methane (methalox).
- Developer: LandSpace, a private Chinese firm
- Recovery method: Vertical Takeoff, Vertical Landing (VTVL) — the booster lands upright on its own engines
- Aim: cut space transportation costs by recovering and reusing the expensive first stage multiple times, enabling high-frequency, low-cost deployment of large Low Earth Orbit satellite internet constellations.
Reusable Launch Vehicles Around the World
- United States — Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, Starship, New Shepard, New Glenn
- China — Long March-10B, Zhuque-3
- India — RLV-TD / RLV-LEX
- Europe (ESA) — the Themis programme
- Japan (JAXA) — CALLISTO
