LandSpace Zhuque-3 (ZQ-3) reusable launcher

Zhuque-3 is a two-stage, partly reusable rocket. The privately owned company LandSpace, founded in 2015 and based in Beijing, designed and builds it. The stages are stainless steel and burn liquid methane and liquid oxygen. The first stage has nine TQ-12A engines and is designed to land on legs and fly at least 20 times. The second stage has one TQ-15A vacuum engine. The current version is about 66 m tall and 4.5 m wide, with a 5.2 m fairing. LandSpace builds its rockets in Jiaxing and its engines in Huzhou (both in Zhejiang province).

Key dates: a test vehicle with one engine flew to about 350 m and landed on 19 January 2024. On 11 September 2024 a test flew to more than 10 km, shut its engine down in flight and relit it, then landed 1.7 m from the centre of the pad. All nine engines were fired together on the launch pad at Jiuquan in June 2025. The first flight, Y1, lifted off on 3 December 2025 from Launch Area 96B at Jiuquan carrying dummy payloads, and reached an orbit of about 142 × 1,402 km.

Setbacks: on Y1 the booster had an anomaly soon after its landing burn began and broke up on hitting the ground at Minqin, Gansu. The second flight was first expected around April 2026 and was then targeted for 10–11 August, before flying on 19 August 2026. Separately, a Zhuque-2E failed in flight in 2025. LandSpace has not confirmed reports that it carried four Guowang test satellites.

Status (2026): on Y2 (19 August 2026, 07:35 Beijing time) the second stage put LandSpace's own Honghu-03 satellite into orbit. The booster landed on legs at Minqin, about 390 km away, roughly eight minutes after lift-off. This was the first landing of an orbital-class booster by a Chinese commercial company. After touchdown a fire broke out in the tail, one landing leg failed and the booster tipped over. For Y2 LandSpace used fewer engines for landing, improved impact-point prediction and redesigned the re-entry heat shielding. A stock market listing on Shanghai's STAR Market, raising 7.5 billion yuan (about US$1.07 billion), was accepted for review on 31 December 2025. Most of the money is for reusable rockets and production capacity of about 15 Zhuque-3s a year. The exchange's questions began on 22 January 2026, and an updated prospectus was filed on 29 June 2026. On 7 November 2026 Chinese financial press reported that the review is suspended because the financial data in the filing have expired and must be resubmitted. The listing has not taken place.

Next: in February 2026 LandSpace aimed to refly a recovered booster in the fourth quarter of 2026. After Y2 it said it hoped to refly the booster within six months (by about February 2027). No date for the third flight or a reflight had been published by 9 November 2026. A larger version is planned, 76.6 m tall with TQ-12B engines of about 100 tonnes: 21.3 t to orbit expendable, or 18.3 t with the booster recovered. It was expected to fly possibly in 2027, aimed at the Guowang and Qianfan constellations. A 200-tonne-class BF-20 engine is expected by about 2028.

Milestone path

1. 19 January 2024

   First hop test to 350 m

   Achieved

   A single-engine test vehicle flew to about 350 m and landed.

   Why it matters: The first step towards landing an orbital-class stage.

2. 11 September 2024

   10 km hop with engine relight

   Achieved

   A test vehicle flew above 10 km, shut its engine down and relit it in flight, then landed 1.7 m from the centre of the pad.

   Why it matters: Proved the relight and precision landing a reusable booster needs.

3. December 2024 (month only)

   State manufacturing fund invests

   Achieved

   China's National Manufacturing Transformation and Upgrading Fund invested 900 million yuan, taking LandSpace's total funding to about 3.5 billion yuan.

   Why it matters: State investment in a private launcher firm signals official backing for reuse.

4. June 2025 (month only)

   Nine-engine static fire at Jiuquan

   Latest

   All nine first-stage methane engines were fired together on the launch pad at Jiuquan.

   Why it matters: The last major ground test before the first flight.

Milestone path

1. August 2025 (month only)

   Qianfan demonstration launch contract

   Achieved

   The operator of the Qianfan constellation awarded LandSpace a demonstration launch contract.

   Why it matters: Large Chinese constellations are the main market LandSpace is aiming at.

2. 3 December 2025

   First flight reaches orbit

   Achieved

   The first flight reached an orbit of about 142 × 1,402 km with dummy payloads, but the booster had an anomaly during its landing burn and crashed at Minqin.

   Why it matters: Orbit at the first attempt; recovery became the next goal.

3. 31 December 2025

   STAR Market listing application accepted

   Achieved

   The Shanghai Stock Exchange accepted LandSpace's application to raise 7.5 billion yuan (about US$1.07 billion), mainly for reusable rockets and output of about 15 Zhuque-3s a year.

   Why it matters: A listing would fund series production.

4. 19 August 2026 (Beijing time; 18 August UTC)

   Booster lands, then tips over

   Latest

   The second flight put LandSpace's Honghu-03 satellite into orbit and the booster landed at Minqin, about 390 km away; a fire then broke out, a leg failed and the booster tipped over.

   Why it matters: The first landing of an orbital-class booster by a Chinese commercial company, though the stage cannot be reflown as landed.

Milestone path

1. Reported 7 November 2026

   Listing review suspended

   Latest

   The exchange suspended its review of the listing because the financial data in the filing have expired and must be resubmitted; an updated prospectus had been filed on 29 June 2026.

   Why it matters: Watch for the refiling, which decides when the listing money arrives.

2. Not dated (aim: within six months of the second flight; earlier target Q4 2026)

   First booster reflight

   Planned

   LandSpace aims to refly a recovered first stage; no third-flight or reflight date had been published by 9 Nov 2026.

   What to watch: Reflight, not landing, is the real test of reuse economics.

3. Possibly 2027 (not confirmed)

   Larger version first flight

   Planned

   A larger version, 76.6 m tall with TQ-12B engines of about 100 tonnes, is planned to lift 21.3 t expendable or 18.3 t with the booster recovered.

   What to watch: Sized for Guowang and Qianfan constellation launches.

4. About 2028

   BF-20 200-tonne engine ready

   Planned

   LandSpace's 200-tonne-class full-flow methane engine, in early development, is expected by about 2028.

   What to watch: A step up in engine size for later heavy versions.