LandSpace Recovers Zhuque-3 Booster in Milestone for China’s Reusable Rockets
Chinese startup LandSpace recovered the first stage of its Zhuque-3 rocket on Wednesday, August 19, marking a major step in the country’s push to narrow the gap with the United States in reusable rockets.
The achievement places LandSpace among a small group of private companies to have landed an orbital-class booster. SpaceX and Blue Origin are the other companies to have achieved the feat.
Recovering and reusing a rocket booster can significantly reduce launch costs. Moreover, reusable technology could make it easier to place satellites into orbit and help turn space exploration into a commercially viable business, much like civil aviation.
Zhuque-3 Completes Landmark Landing
The successful recovery came during LandSpace’s second attempt to land the engine-packed first stage of the Zhuque-3.
The stainless-steel rocket is designed as China’s answer to SpaceX’s Falcon 9. At 66.1 metres, or 216 feet, the Zhuque-3 is built to support the company’s ambitions in reusable launch services.
The rocket lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone in north-western China. Subsequently, its nine-engine first stage separated and returned towards a landing site in Gansu province.
State media reported that the booster landed about 390 kilometres, or 242 miles, south-east of the launch pad.
The successful landing represents an important advance for China’s private space sector. It also demonstrates progress towards developing launch vehicles that can be recovered and used repeatedly.
Recovery Could Boost LandSpace Listing
The achievement could strengthen investor confidence as LandSpace prepares to pursue a listing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s technology-focused STAR Market.
The company plans to raise 7.5 billion yuan, or about $1.11 billion, through an initial public offering. LandSpace intends to use the funds to support development and expand its reusable launch services.
The successful recovery therefore comes at an important stage for the company. A proven reusable booster could strengthen LandSpace’s position as it seeks to expand its commercial launch operations.
LandSpace Targets 20 Booster Uses
LandSpace aims to reuse the Zhuque-3 booster as many as 20 times. That target highlights the company’s focus on making rocket launches more efficient through repeated use of expensive hardware.
SpaceX provides a benchmark for the scale that reusable rockets can eventually achieve. The company launches Falcon 9 rockets around 150 times a year, or roughly three times a week, and reuses its boosters dozens of times.
LandSpace’s latest achievement moves the Chinese company closer to that model. However, its longer-term goal will be to demonstrate that the Zhuque-3 can deliver repeated, reliable and commercially viable launches.