China Just Landed a Rocket Booster on Solid Ground—And Plans to Fly It Again Within Six Months
China has crossed a threshold in the reusable-rocket race: an orbital-class booster has landed upright on solid ground for the first time in the country.
The breakthrough came from private launch company LandSpace, whose Zhuque-3 rocket lifted off from northwestern China on August 18, placed a satellite into orbit and then returned its first stage to a landing zone in Gansu province. The stainless-steel booster descended under engine power and touched down on landing legs about 390 kilometers from the launch site, according to Reuters.
LandSpace now says it intends to reuse the recovered booster within six months. If that happens, the flight will turn an impressive landing into the more consequential achievement: proving the same large rocket stage can safely launch twice.
Why this landing matters
Rockets have traditionally discarded their first stages after a single launch, even though those stages contain engines, tanks and hardware that account for a large share of a launch vehicle’s cost. Recovering and reflying them can shorten production cycles and lower the cost of reaching orbit.
SpaceX and Blue Origin have been landing boosters since 2015, but the technology remains difficult. China’s previous recovery milestone came in July, when a Long March-10B test stage was caught at sea by a net-equipped platform. The Zhuque-3 recovery was different: it was a ground landing using deployable legs after an operational orbital launch, as reported by the Associated Press.
It was also LandSpace’s second attempt with this rocket. The first Zhuque-3 flight reached orbit in December 2025, but the booster was destroyed during its landing attempt. This time, the company completed both sides of the mission—delivering the Honghu-03 satellite to orbit and recovering the first stage intact, according to Space.com.
A methane-powered challenger
The two-stage Zhuque-3 stands 66.1 meters tall and burns liquid methane and liquid oxygen. LandSpace says it is designed to fly as many as 20 times and carry up to 14.2 metric tons to low Earth orbit. By comparison, SpaceX lists a maximum low-Earth-orbit payload of 22.8 metric tons for Falcon 9.
Methane is attractive for reusable vehicles because it burns more cleanly than kerosene, potentially reducing the inspection and refurbishment work needed between flights. LandSpace had already made history in 2023 when its smaller Zhuque-2 became the first methane-fueled rocket to reach orbit.
The real test comes next
A successful landing does not automatically create a reusable launch system. Engineers must inspect the booster for structural damage, evaluate its engines and thermal protection, replace or refurbish components and then demonstrate another reliable flight.
That makes LandSpace’s six-month reuse target the number to watch. Meeting it would place China’s private space industry closer to routine booster reflying—not merely recovery—and could intensify competition for commercial satellite launches.
The milestone also arrives as LandSpace pursues an initial public offering reportedly worth about $1.11 billion. A booster that has landed safely is a powerful proof of concept. A booster that flies again would be evidence of a working business model.
Featured image is an original illustrative composition and does not depict LandSpace personnel or anyone involved in the launch.
