China's reusable rocket flies into orbit for the first time

(CLO) China launched the Zhuque-3 (ZQ-3, Chu Tuoc-3) liquid-fuel reusable rocket from the northwest region on December 3.

The second stage of the rocket entered orbit as planned, but the first stage could not be successfully recovered. Despite the landing failure, this was China's first orbital flight using a reusable liquid-fuel rocket, immediately attracting attention and heated comments on the international network.

The Zhuque-3 (ZQ-3) liquid-fuel reusable rocket was launched. Source: X/XH_Lee23

Zhuque-3 landed. Source: X/XH_Lee23

Zhuque-3 was developed by LandSpace, a private Chinese space company. Immediately after the launch, LandSpace received a series of supportive and encouraging comments from the international community.

In a comment below the launch video on X, Jhon Paul, a former scientist with the Indian Space Research Organization, wrote: “In rocketry, as in life, success and failure are both part of progress… Learning never stops.”

From India, @Kamleshbadhhi wrote that Vermillion Bird-3 showed that building reusable rockets is “as difficult as expected”, while praising China's efforts in materials, fuel and landing technology.

Omar Pimentel, director of the Cyber ​​and Space Program at the Cyber ​​Policy Dialogue for the Americas, said the first stage of Vermillion Bird 3 “appeared to have lost control during the landing,” although it returned to its intended trajectory. He said that if the second stage reached orbit, it would still be “a significant milestone.”

China is “on the heels of SpaceX and Blue Origin,” said an American commercial aerospace expert, noting that the Vermillion Bird-3 is just one of more than 10 similar reusable vehicles being developed in the country.

NASA Space Flight (NSF) also reported on the launch, saying LandSpace “came very close to success on the first try.” NSF predicts 2026 will be a “pivotal year” for commercial spaceflight, not only in the US but across the Pacific region.

Many opinions consider this a significant step forward for China in the reusable rocket race, in the context that "the new space race is no longer just about getting to orbit, but about who can get there at the lowest cost and highest frequency".

Source: https://congluan.vn/ten-lua-tai-su-dung-cua-trung-quoc-lan-dau-bay-vao-quy-dao-10320388.html