China's LandSpace successfully recovers rocket stage for second time in a month

China's private space sector is accelerating its pursuit of reusable rocket technology, with LandSpace achieving a significant milestone on July 19. The company successfully recovered the first stage of its Zhuque-3 rocket, marking a first for a Chinese private firm and a second for China overall.

This success mirrors methods used by Elon Musk's SpaceX, employing grid fins for attitude control and reigniting engines to slow descent before landing. Unlike the July recovery by state-owned CASC, which used maritime recovery with a net, LandSpace's Zhuque-3 utilized a land-based recovery with landing legs. This brings the number of companies with first-stage rocket recovery technology to four: SpaceX, Blue Origin, CASC, and LandSpace.

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We have significantly improved the engine ignition system compared to the first flight and adjusted the descent path to reduce stress on the vehicle.

The Zhuque-3, dubbed the "Chinese Falcon 9" due to its stainless steel construction, is a two-stage rocket with a 4.5-meter diameter and 66-meter height. Its first stage, powered by nine engines using methane fuel, can lift up to 14.2 tons to low Earth orbit, though this is less than SpaceX's Falcon 9 capacity. LandSpace aims to reuse the first stage up to 20 times, with immediate plans for detailed inspection to determine the timeline for its next flight. Industry observers anticipate the rocket could be used for China's Qianfan low-Earth orbit internet constellation satellites in its next mission.

LandSpace, founded in 2015, is China's first private rocket launch company. Several other Chinese firms, including Galactic Energy, Orienspace, and Space Pioneer, are also developing reusable launch vehicles, signaling a dynamic and competitive landscape in China's burgeoning space industry.

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Reinforcing the heat-resistant material at the bottom of the first stage was the key to a successful soft landing.