Overview
- Video released by CCTV on Aug. 20, 2026 shows the Zhuque‑3 first stage suffered a mid‑descent mini‑explosion during its Dec. 3, 2025 debut and was burning before impact.
- LandSpace reported that Zhuque‑3’s second mission on Aug. 18, 2026 delivered a satellite to orbit and that the first stage executed a controlled propulsive landing on land.
- The company says it made targeted fixes after the December failure, including selecting different engines for the landing burn, adding a predicted‑impact‑point safety function, and strengthening thermal protection.
- LandSpace plans to inspect and refurbish the recovered booster with a goal of reflights within months, but independent verification of damage, refurbishment costs, and routine reuse cadence is not yet available.
- China now demonstrates two recovery methods—LandSpace’s leg‑land propulsive touchdown and CASC’s ship‑net sea recovery of a Long March 10B on July 10, 2026—raising questions about how reuse will affect launch economics and cadence.