The methane-fueled, stainless-steel rocket — designed to rival SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Starship — represents a significant milestone in China’s pursuit of cost-efficient, reusable launch systems.
The rocket was developed by the private firm, LandSpace, at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China
The ZQ-3, a two-stage vertical launch and landing vehicle, aims to reduce launch costs by up to 90% through reusing its first stage up to 20 times.
Its first orbital flight is scheduled for late 2025, with a landing attempt anticipated in 2026.
China first announced plans to develop a reusable launch system similar to SpaceX’s Starship in 2021 during the Sixth Aerospace Industry Achievement Exhibition in Nanjing.
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