The nine-engine first stage of Zhuque-3 Y2 reached a designated landing zone in Gansu province after launch. The 66.1-meter rocket, launched from the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot zone in northwest China, landed its first stage 390 kilometers southeast of the launch site.
The rocket’s booster section landed smoothly at the planned location. The mission marked China’s first land-based recovery in its efforts to develop reusable rocket technology.
Two objectives achieved in a single flight
The flight’s second stage carried the Honghu-03 satellite into its predetermined orbit. The mission therefore achieved both its satellite-launch and first-stage-recovery objectives.
Before this mission, China had recovered the first stage of the Long March-10B rocket by catching it with a net over the sea on July 10.
Technical features of Zhuque-3
Developed by the Chinese commercial space company LandSpace, Zhuque-3 was approved by the China National Space Administration as a next-generation rocket. Powered by liquid oxygen and methane, the system was designed to reduce costs, provide high payload capacity and support frequent launches.
The stainless-steel rocket offers greater heat resistance and has the potential to reduce manufacturing costs. Zhuque-3 can carry up to 14.2 metric tons of payload into low Earth orbit in a single-use flight.