China’s first reusable rocket Zhuque-3 makes maiden voyage but recovery attempt fails
Designer LandSpace says it is investigating after lower stage of the rocket appeared to catch fire before crashing near the recovery site
The United States is still the only country in the world to successfully return an orbital-class booster, though China is still vying for the second spot with other upcoming launches.
The reusable rocket, designed by the Beijing-based commercial space company LandSpace, was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in China’s northwest at noon on Wednesday.
After reaching a low-Earth orbit, the first stage of the rocket – the lower section that lifts the vehicle off the ground – appeared to catch fire in the air before crashing near the target recovery site.
The first stage “experienced an anomaly” during the landing phase and “failed to achieve a soft landing on the recovery pad,” LandSpace said in a post on social media.
“The debris landed on the edge of the recovery pad, resulting in a failed recovery test. The specific cause is under further investigation.”