LandSpace successfully recovers first rocket stage

Chinese space company LandSpace successfully recovered the first stage of its ZhuQue-3 rocket on August 19, following its launch and achievement of orbit. The company confirmed the successful recovery in an official statement.

This marks LandSpace's second attempt to recover a ZhuQue-3 booster. The company's previous attempt in December 2025 resulted in the loss of the first stage during its landing attempt, despite the rocket successfully reaching orbit.

The successful recovery represents a significant advancement for China's commercial reusable rocket program. This capability is crucial for reducing the cost of space access and increasing launch frequency.

Achieving booster recovery is a key step towards developing fully reusable launch systems, which are essential for making space exploration and utilization more economically viable.