China's Zhuque-3 Rocket Lands Successfully, Then Catches Fire

China’s privately developed Zhuque-3 reusable rocket achieved a major milestone on Wednesday after its first stage successfully landed in the Gobi Desert. However, the achievement was followed by a dramatic setback when a fire broke out around the booster shortly after touchdown. Flames spread beneath the rocket, weakening its landing structures before the tall booster eventually toppled over.

The Zhuque-3 Y2 booster initially completed its controlled descent and came to a stable stop on four deployable landing legs at a site in Minqin County, Gansu. Video from the area showed the rocket standing upright immediately after landing before flames appeared around its base. The fire was linked to residual liquid methane and liquid oxygen left in the vehicle after its descent.

Built by private Chinese space company LandSpace, the 66.1-metre Zhuque-3 is powered by liquid oxygen and methane and has been designed for repeated use. The rocket launched from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone near Jiuquan. Around 137 seconds after liftoff, its stages separated, with the upper stage successfully placing the Honghu-03 satellite into orbit.

Also Read: Next Viksit Bharat Young India Dialogue To Connect 1 Crore Youth In Delhi

The first stage travelled approximately 390 kilometres before beginning its return to Earth. Its successful touchdown marked China’s first successful landing and recovery of an orbital-class rocket booster using landing legs by a private company. The achievement came during Zhuque-3’s second flight, following its December 2025 debut, when the rocket reached orbit but failed to recover its first stage after abnormal combustion during the final landing manoeuvre.

Reusable rockets are considered important because recovering and flying expensive rocket hardware multiple times could reduce launch costs and increase launch frequency. LandSpace has reportedly targeted as many as 20 flights for each Zhuque-3 stage and aims to reuse recovered boosters within months. The development places China further into the growing reusable-launch competition alongside companies pursuing similar technology globally.

Although the post-landing fire caused the booster to collapse, the successful touchdown remains a significant step in China’s reusable-rocket programme. The incident also demonstrates the difficulty of developing a system capable not only of landing vertically but also of safely surviving the stresses and residual fuel hazards immediately after touchdown. For reusable rockets to become routine, engineers will need to improve post-landing safety and ensure recovered stages remain structurally fit for future flights.

Also Read: Manipur CM Yumnam Khemchand Appeals To Meiteis For Greater Role In Peacebuilding