 | |
| Function | Orbitallaunch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | LandSpace |
| Country of origin | China |
| Size | |
| Height | Zhuque-3: 65.9 m (216 ft) Zhuque-3E: 76.2 m (250 ft) |
| Diameter | 4.5 m (15 ft) |
| Mass | Zhuque-3: 550,000 kg (1,210,000 lb) Zhuque-3E: 654,500 kg (1,442,900 lb) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload tolow Earth orbit (LEO) 450 km | |
| Mass | Zhuque-3: 11,800 kg (26,000 lb) (expended) 8,000 kg (18,000 lb) (recovered; down-range) Zhuque-3E: 21,300 kg (47,000 lb) (expended) 18,300 kg (40,300 lb) (recovered; down-range) 12,500 kg (27,600 lb) (recovered; back to launch point) |
| Launch history | |
| Status |
|
| Launch sites |
|
| Total launches |
|
| Success(es) | |
| First flight |
|
| First stage | |
| Powered by | Zhuque-3: 9 ×TQ-12A Zhuque-3E: 9 ×TQ-12B |
| Maximum thrust |
|
| Propellant | LOX /CH4 |
| Second stage | |
| Powered by | Zhuque-3: 1 ×TQ-15A Vacuum Zhuque-3E: 1 ×TQ-15B Vacuum |
| Maximum thrust |
|
| Propellant | LOX /CH4 |
Zhuque-3 (ZQ-3, Chinese:朱雀三号) is an under-development, two-stage, medium-to-heavy recoverable launch vehicle made of stainless steel and powered by liquid methane fuel. It is the third in a series of orbital-class launch vehicles developed byLandSpace Technology Corporation (LandSpace), a Chinese commercialspace launch provider based inBeijing.
Zhuque-3E will be equipped with nineTianque-12B engines, five of which can gimbal and four which cannot, the first stage is designed to be recoverable and reusable for up to twenty launches. The rocket will be 76.2 meters in length, 4.5 meters in diameter, and have a liftoff weight of approximately 660 tonnes. Its planned payload capacity to low Earth orbit is about 21 tonnes in expendable mode, 18.3 tonnes when the first stage is recovered downrange, and 12.5 tonnes when the first stage returns to the launch site. The maiden flight of Zhuque-3 is planned for 2025, with the aim of achieving the milestone of first-stage recovery within the same year, and then progressing towards reusability by 2026.[1] The initial version of the rocket, the Zhuque-3, is slightly less powerful in performance and specifications than the mature version of the launch vehicle; the rocket used in the Zhuque-3's maiden flight will be about 66 meters in length with a mass of about 550 tonnes.[2]
On 19 January 2024, Landspace conducted a successful vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) test using the Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 test vehicle atJiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The test stage, powered by a single Tianque-12 engine, flew for approximately 60 seconds and reached a height of about 350 meters. Landspace reported a landing accuracy of about 2.4 meters and a touchdown speed of approximately 0.75 meters per second.[3] Additionally, the company had previously announced plans to develop a 200-tonne class full-flow staged combustion engineBF-20, which is expected to be ready by 2028 for a future version of Zhuque-3.[1]
On 11 September 2024, the Zhuque-3 VTVL-1 test stage completed another successful vertical-takeoff-vertical-landing test at itsJiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The test flight lasted about 200 seconds and achieved a maximum height in excess of 10 kilometres. The flight also featured a mid-air engine cutoff test at about 113 seconds after liftoff and an engine reignition test about 40 seconds later when the test stage was at a height of about 4,640 metres; this engine cutoff and reignition sequence during a VTVL attempt represented a first for any Chinese rocket manufacturing entities. During the period when its engine was not in active operation, the test stage employed a cold gas attitude control reaction system in addition to four grid fins to control its gliding descent. The test stage completed its landing sequence at a concrete pad located about 3.2 kilometres away from its launch point; the precise landing spot was 1.7 metres away from the nominal center of the landing pad.[4]
On 20 June 2025, LandSpace conducted a static fire of a ZhuQue-3 booster test article (not a flight ready booster) at theJiuquan Satellite Launch Center(JSLC). The test was performed on the actual launch pad for ZhuQue-3, similar to how Starship'sSuper Heavy booster is static fired on the OLM. For this test, the article was filled with propellant, partly to mimic inflight conditions but likely also to prevent anaccidental flight. The test article featured nine TQ-12A engines, generating a maximum of 769 tons of thrust during the 45 second static fire. The five engines which can gimbal also performed tests. In an official statement, LandSpace hailed the test as completely successful and instrumental to the success of ZhuQue 3.[5]
The maiden launch of the Zhuque-3 is expected to occur during the fourth quarter of 2025.[6] Also in 2025, according to China National Radio, the Zhuque-3 is expected to launch the new reusableHaolong cargo space shuttle built by theChengdu Aircraft Design Institute, an arm of theAviation Industry Corporation (AVIC); the cargo space shuttle is one of two lower cost resupply vehicles selected byCMSA to provide greater cargo-return capabilities and resupply redundancy for theTiangong Space Station. The Zhuque-3 is also expected to begin launch missions for China'sGuowang broadband communicationsmegaconstellation in 2025.[7]
From October 18 until October 20, 2025, LandSpace conducted a full-scale propellant-loading rehearsal and first-stage static fire test in preparation for the maiden launch of the Zhuque-3. Next, the company will proceed to conduct vertical-integration rehearsals involving the second-stage and the payload fairing before returning the rocket to relevant test areas for inspection and maintenance. The first launch itself is expected to occur sometime during November or December 2025.[2]
| Flight No. | Rocket | Serial No. | Date/Time (UTC) | Payload | Orbit | Launch site | Outcome | Booster Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zhuque-3 | Y1 | NET November 2025[6] | Jiuquan | TBD | |||
| First flight of Zhuque-3 | ||||||||
