LandSpace Successfully Tests Zhuque-3 Reusable Rocket with 10-Kilometer VTVL in 200 Seconds

Sep 11, 2024, 06:00 AM

China's private space company LandSpace has successfully conducted a 10-kilometer vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) test of its reusable rocket prototype Zhuque-3 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The test, which lasted 200 seconds, included an engine restart at 4.6 kilometers and marked the first in-flight ignition during the descent stage by a Chinese company. This achievement represents a significant breakthrough in commercial aerospace technology, as LandSpace aims for the first flight of Zhuque-3 in 2025 and first stage recovery in 2026. The rocket landed just 1.2 meters from the center.