LandSpace lands Zhuque-3 orbital booster in Gansu, 3rd private recovery
LandSpace just pulled off a big move for China's space scene, successfully landing its Zhuque-3 rocket booster, making it only the third private company (after SpaceX and Blue Origin) to recover an orbital-class booster.
The stainless steel Zhuque-3 touched down 390km from its launch pad in the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone to a landing site in Gansu, showing China's catching up fast in the reusable rocket race.
Reusable Zhuque-3 boosts $1.11 billion IPO
Zhuque-3 stands out with its stainless steel build (think: cheaper and more heat resistant) and uses methane fuel for cleaner launches.
It can haul 14.2 metric tons to low Earth orbit on a one-way trip and is built for up to 20 reuses.
This win gives LandSpace a boost as it aims for a $1.11 billion IPO in Shanghai's STAR Market and hopes to turn profitable by 2029 while competing with global space giants.