China just carried out its second reusable launch attempt in three weeks

📅 Last updated: December 27, 2025

In a clear signal of its accelerating ambitions in the new space race, China has successfully conducted its second test of a reusable launch vehicle in just three weeks, marking a significant leap forward in its quest to develop cost-effective and rapid-response space access. The latest mission, carried out by the commercial aerospace firm LandSpace, represents a critical step toward a future of routine, airline-like operations for Chinese rockets.

The Latest Mission: LandSpace’s Zhuque-3 Test

The launch took place at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. According to state media and company announcements, the Zhuque-3 prototype, a stainless-steel test vehicle for LandSpace’s upcoming reusable rocket, lifted off, executed a precise flight profile, and made a controlled vertical landing at a designated site. The entire flight lasted several minutes, mirroring the sub-orbital “hop tests” pioneered by companies like SpaceX with its Starship prototypes.

The official report stated that the mission “verified key technologies such as reusable vertical take-off and landing, high-throttle deep throttling capability of the variable-thrust liquid oxygen methane engine, and the health management assessment system for reusable rockets.”

Crucially, it concluded that the test had “laid an important foundation for subsequent launches and reliable recovery.”

A Coordinated National Push

This launch comes a mere three weeks after a similar, headline-grabbing test by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the nation’s state-owned aerospace giant. On December 10, a CASC test vehicle completed a vertical take-off and landing, demonstrating reusable technologies for a planned next-generation crewed launch vehicle. The back-to-back successes by both a state-backed leader and a rising private player underscore a coordinated, national drive to master reusability.

The Strategic Imperative of Reusability

The global space industry’s economics have been fundamentally reshaped by reusable rocket technology, which dramatically reduces the cost of sending payloads to orbit. For China, mastering this capability is not merely an economic concern but a strategic one. It is essential for:

• Sustaining its massive space station (Tiangong): Requiring frequent cargo and crew rotation missions.
• Deploying mega-constellations: Such as the planned Guowang satellite internet network, which will require thousands of satellites launched affordably and quickly.
• Lunar and deep space exploration: Future crewed missions to the Moon and beyond will necessitate heavy-lift rockets where reusability is key to affordability.
• Ensuring competitive commercial launch services: Capturing a share of the global satellite launch market.

“The fact that we’re seeing two different organizations succeed in such a short timeframe is highly indicative of a mature, ecosystem-wide push,” observed Dr. Lena K.

Key Takeaways

• China has conducted two successful reusable rocket tests in three weeks, from both a state-owned giant (CASC) and a private firm (LandSpace).
• The latest test by LandSpace validated critical technologies for its Zhuque-3 rocket, including vertical landing and engine throttling.
• This rapid progress signals a coordinated, national strategy to achieve cost-effective, rapid space access.
• The drive for reusability is fueled by strategic goals like maintaining the Tiangong space station, building satellite constellations, and pursuing lunar exploration.