Landspace has shared onboard footage of the reentry and landing attempt:
Interesting the contrast in the reentry burn between the Falcon (kerolox) and the Zhuque (methalox). You get the same "Eye of Sauron" effect, but it is almost transparent. You can see the shock front way out in front of the rocket.
Ace of Razgriz@raz_liu·According to an interview of the ZQ-3's chief engineer. The have retrieved the data from the black-box & together with the telemetry data. They have enough data to figure out what went wrong. Waiting for the official report. via https://weibo.com/7340734455/Qibx2lxnT
The CE say they will keep trying to land the first stage of the Y2 & Y3' flights.
https://twitter.com/raz_liu/status/1999680471631036841QuoteAce of Razgriz@raz_liu·According to an interview of the ZQ-3's chief engineer. The have retrieved the data from the black-box & together with the telemetry data. They have enough data to figure out what went wrong. Waiting for the official report. via https://weibo.com/7340734455/Qibx2lxnTQuoteThe CE say they will keep trying to land the first stage of the Y2 & Y3' flights.
[Chief Designer of Zhuque-3 Explains Details of First-Stage Recovery Verification on Zhuque-3's Maiden Flight] On December 3, the Zhuque-3 reusable launch vehicle, developed by LandSpace, successfully completed its maiden flight. The second-stage rocket successfully entered orbit, but the first-stage rocket recovery failed. This marks the first time in China that a first-stage recovery of an orbital-class launch vehicle has been attempted. Recently, a CCTV reporter conducted an exclusive interview with Zhang Xiaodong, the chief designer of the Zhuque-3, revealing for the first time key technical details of the Zhuque-3 recovery verification.At noon on December 3, the Zhuque-3 ignited and lifted off. After approximately 133 seconds of flight, the first-stage rocket separated and conducted vertical recovery technology flight verification as planned.Zhang Xiaodong, Chief Designer of the Zhuque-3 Reusable Rocket: "When we approached the highest point, the grid fins opened, then we re-entered the atmosphere. Then, the three re-entry engines ignited. This was the deceleration from 80 kilometers to 40 kilometers before entering the atmospheric phase. At the time, I thought it was quite perfect."Zhang Xiaodong explained that the rocket's first stage underwent the most challenging phase for reusable rockets: the supersonic reentry aerodynamic glide. Simultaneously, the rocket achieved high-precision guidance and control towards the landing site during both the reentry ignition and aerodynamic glide phases. Unfortunately, a few kilometers above the ground, during the engine's final ignition, an abnormal combustion occurred, preventing a soft landing.Zhang Xiaodong, Chief Designer of the Zhuque-3 Reusable Rocket: "For the second ignition, we adopted a relatively conservative design, believing there wouldn't be a major problem. However, the issue still arose in the final stage."Although a soft landing wasn't achieved, Zhang Xiaodong told reporters that the Zhuque-3's recovery validated a significant amount of rocket reusability technology. The data accumulated during the flight laid a solid foundation for subsequent model iterations and improvements, exploring a feasible path for my country to achieve first-stage rocket recovery.Zhang Xiaodong, Chief Designer of the Zhuque-3 Reusable Rocket: "The data is extremely important. We learned where we had excessive margins and where the design was inadequate." This is one of the advantages of reusable rockets. After this flight, we can continue to perform reusable flights in the next two or three missions. Upon return, besides further enriching the database, we can also see in-situ where parts were burned or where the design was too demanding, allowing us to reduce weight and optimize to improve rocket performance.▲A close-up look at the Zhuque-3 launch vehicleAlthough the Zhuque-3 failed to successfully recover its first stage, its maiden flight was successfully completed. The Zhuque-3 achieved many domestic "firsts," such as the first integrated application of a nine-engine parallel liquid oxygen-methane propulsion system, the first stainless steel rocket body, and the first high-precision return flight verification of an orbital-stage reusable launch vehicle. So what does the Zhuque-3 rocket look like? Before its maiden flight, reporters conducted an exclusive close-up look.CCTV reporter Cui Xia: The Zhuque-3 is 66 meters high and 4.5 meters in diameter. The entire rocket body is made of stainless steel. It is also currently China's first reusable launch vehicle.Zhang Xiaodong, chief designer of the Zhuque-3 reusable launch vehicle, explained: "Stainless steel was chosen because it's suitable for large-scale production and has good reusability. The launch tower is currently 90 meters high, and the rocket will be further lengthened in the future to increase its carrying capacity. The engine's thrust will be expanded from 80 tons to 100 tons, ultimately achieving a takeoff thrust of 900 tons."During descent, the rocket needs to deploy its landing legs to land on the launch pad. Above the landing legs are leading-edge extensions (LES), used to provide lift during reentry. The four fins on top are grid fins used to adjust the rocket's attitude during atmospheric reentry glide.Regarding the Zhuque-3's carrying capacity, Zhang Xiaodong explained that the rocket's current state is an intermediate version. Its single-use carrying capacity is approximately 13-14 tons, while reusable versions can reach 10 tons, depending on the specific orbit.▲Zhuque-3: A Stainless Steel Rocket Burning "Natural Gas"The most striking feature of the Zhuque-3 is its stainless steel body and liquid oxygen/methane fuel. This power and structural combination is a first in China and lays the foundation for the rocket's reusability. Why choose this combination?Entering LandSpace's assembly and testing facility, the massive body of the Zhuque-3 comes into view. Its most striking feature is its unpainted stainless steel body, a stark contrast to the white-painted rockets we are familiar with.Choosing stainless steel is the first distinctive feature of the Zhuque-3.Zhang Xiaodong, Chief Designer of the Zhuque-3 Reusable Launch Vehicle: We chose stainless steel because it is more robust and durable, maintaining excellent performance even after repeated cycles of force and heat shock.Stainless steel has a natural advantage in this regard: high strength, good heat resistance, excellent structural lifespan, and lower raw material costs ensure the rocket's reusability and economic viability.The second key choice for the Zhuque-3 is its fuel. The Zhuque-3 chose liquid oxygen/methane.Zhang Xiaodong, Chief Designer of the Zhuque-3 Reusable Launch Vehicle: Methane is the liquefied natural gas we use for cooking at home. Once the gas valve is turned off, there's practically no residue because its combustion products are only carbon dioxide and water.Methane has a simpler composition, resulting in more complete and cleaner combustion. More importantly, methane's cooling properties and ignition characteristics are more suitable for reuse; it's easy to ignite, providing an inherent advantage for multiple reliable ignitions during reentry.Zhang Xiaodong, Chief Designer of the Zhuque-3 Reusable Launch Vehicle: From its ease of use and its five key characteristics, methane is the preferred propellant for next-generation reusable launch vehicles.▲Why Develop Reusable Rockets?Not only domestically, but also internationally, reusable rockets are considered the mainstream for future development. At the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the China National Space Administration organized the development of a liquid oxygen-methane reusable launch vehicle. So what are reusable rockets, and why develop them?As the name suggests, reusable rockets, as opposed to scalable rockets, are rockets that, after completing their planned launch mission, can return to Earth, either wholly or partially, and land safely. After maintenance and refueling, they can be launched again.Compared to scalable rockets, reusable rockets incorporate four key technologies: accurate landing, stable landing, durability, and rapid repair. In recent years, my country has begun constructing its low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet constellation. The constellation of tens of thousands of satellites has placed demands on rocket launch frequency and cost.Yang Yuguang, Chairman of the Space Transportation Committee of the International Astronautical Federation, stated: "The massive LEO internet access service constellation requires us to have the capability to send hundreds or even thousands of tons of satellites into orbit annually. Therefore, this creates a very urgent need to reduce launch costs, which is the most important driving force behind China's development of reusable rockets."Reusable rockets are one of the important development directions for future space exploration. Achieving goals such as low cost and high efficiency requires overcoming many technical challenges. To accelerate the development of high-performance, low-cost, and high-frequency reusable launch vehicles, at the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) organized the development of a liquid oxygen-methane reusable launch vehicle. For the first time, commercial space companies such as LandSpace were included as the main contractors, innovating the R&D support model and meticulously organizing the project to promote the development of reusable launch vehicle technology in my country. After several years of development, the rocket has entered the "second-stage orbit insertion, first-stage recovery" testing phase.Yang Yuguang, Chairman of the Space Transportation Committee of the International Astronautical Federation, stated: "Successful recovery is only the first step. We must then achieve successful reuse and ensure cost reduction throughout the entire chain. Only when our launch costs are reduced will it bring a revolutionary impact to our space industry." (CCTV)
Quote[Chief Designer of Zhuque-3 Explains Details of First-Stage Recovery Verification on Zhuque-3's Maiden Flight] On a few kilometers above the ground, during the engine's final ignition, an abnormal combustion occurred, preventing a soft landing.
[Chief Designer of Zhuque-3 Explains Details of First-Stage Recovery Verification on Zhuque-3's Maiden Flight] On a few kilometers above the ground, during the engine's final ignition, an abnormal combustion occurred, preventing a soft landing.
Visiting Zhuque-3 Y1 impact site.The next launch and recovery attempt is planned for the first half of 2026.
Ace of Razgriz@raz_liuClose-up footage of the ZQ-3 Y1's first stage final moment. via 影视飓风
Ace of Razgriz@raz_liuThe engine bay seems intact. Explosion above the engine bay?
WLR2678🌌@WLR_2678Close-up showing the ZQ-3 Y1 Stage 1's engine section and the tanks coming apart in the final moment🫡
Ace of Razgriz@raz_liuWalk through of the ZQ-3 landing site & debris field. They were prepare to reuse the stage in 6 months if a good recovery. Via 空天逐梦
