Overview
- LandSpace’s Zhuque-3 Y2 delivered the Honghu-03 satellite to its planned orbit and its first stage completed a powered descent and vertical touchdown, a mission milestone confirmed on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026.
- Video and on-site footage show residual propellant ignited shortly after touchdown, producing a fire that burned the landing-gear area and caused the stainless-steel booster to collapse.
- LandSpace said it made design changes after the rocket’s December debut, including reducing engines in the landing burn, adding a predicted-landing-point safety function, and improving thermal protection.
- Engineers have begun on-site inspections and the company says it aims to refurbish and fly the recovered stage within months, though no reflights have been completed yet.
- The mission marks China’s first land-based recovery of an orbital-class booster and the first reported recovery of a stainless-steel orbital booster, and it complements July’s sea-based Long March net capture as part of a two-track push toward lower-cost, higher-frequency launches.