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China Recovers Rocket Stage on Land for First Time, After Earlier Recovery at Sea

  • On Wednesday, China successfully launched the Zhuque-3 Y-2 rocket from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone, recovering the first stage on land in Minqin County, Gansu Province, marking a milestone for the nation's space program.
  • Rocket developer LandSpace utilized deployable landing legs for the mission, representing China's first successful land recovery of a reusable launch vehicle following a July sea platform recovery.
  • Engineering teams optimized the landing propulsion system by reducing engine usage and enhanced the onboard autonomous flight safety system to improve return-control strategies during the vehicle's high-speed atmospheric re-entry.
  • While SpaceX and Blue Origin have recovered rockets since 2015, China's achievement positions the nation to reduce launch costs; Xinhua News Agency deemed the result "a major breakthrough in the country's reusable rocket technology."
  • LandSpace confirmed the operation established a solid foundation for subsequent inspection, maintenance, and commercial applications of reusable launch vehicles, advancing the nation's long-term space ambitions.
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99 Articles

Center

The private company LandSpace managed to land the first floor of an orbital class launcher, a first technology for the Chinese space industry LandSpace, a Chinese start-up,

·France
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Lean Left

The private Chinese space company Landspace was able to land a rocket on its feet for the first time. This is groundbreaking for space travel.

·Zürich, Switzerland
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(Seoul=Yonhap News) China has succeeded in recovering a rocket's first-stage booster by landing it vertically on the ground.

·Seoul, Korea (the Republic of)
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Lean Left

China is working to unlock, especially in the re-use of rocket stages to Elon Musks SpaceX. Landspace has now taken an important step forward with "Zhuque-3".

·Hamburg, Germany
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Astronomy.com broke the news in Chattanooga, United States on Monday, August 17, 2026.
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