China has achieved a historic milestone in its reusable rocket program with the successful launch and recovery of the Zhuque-3 Y2. The rocket lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone in northwest China on 19 August 2026 at 7:35 a.m. Beijing Time.

The Zhuque-3 Y2 placed the Honghu-03 satellite into orbit before its first stage began its controlled return to Earth. Around eight minutes later, at 7:43 a.m., the booster successfully landed at the designated site in Minqin County, Gansu.

This marked China’s first successful land recovery of an orbital-class rocket booster using deployable landing legs.

The booster executed a series of manoeuvres during its descent. It first adopted a high-altitude stance before performing powered deceleration during re-entry. Aerodynamic controls were employed to steer the stage towards the landing zone. A final engine burn slowed the booster further, and the landing legs deployed to ensure a vertical touchdown at the designated site.

This was LandSpace’s second attempt at recovery. The first, in December 2025, reached orbit but failed during the final landing phase. The success of the Zhuque-3 Y2 represents a major breakthrough for China’s commercial space sector, demonstrating a different approach to recovery compared to the Long March-10B, which had earlier used a net-capture system at sea.

The achievement highlights China’s growing capabilities in reusable rocket technology. Reusable boosters can dramatically reduce launch costs and enable more frequent missions by eliminating the need to discard expensive rocket stages after each flight. LandSpace has announced plans to reuse the Zhuque-3 booster up to 20 times, with the goal of reusing a recovered stage within six months.

This success places China firmly in the global race for reusable rockets, alongside SpaceX and Blue Origin. SpaceX pioneered orbital-class booster recovery in 2015, while Blue Origin followed with its New Glenn in 2025. The Zhuque-3 Y2’s land recovery demonstrates China’s determination to match and eventually rival these achievements.

The breakthrough also intensifies competition in the international space industry, as nations and private companies strive to make access to space cheaper and more routine. For China, this success strengthens its position in the commercial launch market and supports its broader ambitions in space exploration.

Agencies