China's Landspace is preparing for the first orbital launch of its Zhuque3 reusable rocket in the fourth quarter 2025 year. Zhuque3 is made of steel and equipped with a reusable first stage, which can significantly expand the company's capabilities in the market of satellite launches for mega-constellations.
In May, Landspace successfully conducted a 45-second "hot test" of the first stage in full production mode: all nine Tianque12A engines were sequentially started and operated stably. This result paves the way for the first orbital flight.
Zhuque3 in a reusable version will be able to launch up to 18,300 kg of payload into low Earth orbit. The height of the rocket will be about 66 m; in the future, it is possible to extend it by about 10m and upgrade the engines to the Tianque12B version.
The Zhuque3's successes represent a significant step forward for China's multiple-use missile systems. For comparison: Currently, the most powerful Chinese missile is the disposable Long March 5 — it can deliver about 25,000 kg to a UFO. At the same time, the SpaceX Falcon9 is capable of lifting approximately 22,800 kg in a reusable mode.
Landspace is one of the first private space startups in China. After the failed launch of Zhuque1 at 2018 year, the company switched to the Zhuque2 methane-oxygen rocket, which reached orbit in July 2023 — becoming the first rocket of this type, that managed to put into orbit.