Zhurque-3 Successfully Reaches Orbit, Landing Recovery Fails — The Path of Aerospace Exploration

On December 3, 2025, the Zhurque-3 remote launch vehicle by LandSpace successfully reached its designated orbit, although the first stage failed to achieve a soft landing.

Zhurque-3, a liquid oxygen-methane reusable heavy-lift rocket, is designed for large-scale satellite constellation missions. It features nine clustered Tianque engines and a stainless steel structure. Despite the unsuccessful landing, all other key operations were executed as planned, providing critical flight data for future reusable rocket recovery technologies.

Cost reduction is central to commercial aerospace, and reusability is the key. Aerospace exploration has no shortcuts; success relies on patience, diligence, and a willingness to learn from failures. The Zhurque-3 team will analyze flight data to improve technology for upcoming launches, contributing to the continuous advancement of China’s commercial space sector.