Story perspectives

LandSpace Recovers Zhuque-3 Y2 Rocket Stage After Landing

8/21/2026

Summary

Story summary

LandSpace recovered the stage of its Zhuque-3 Y2 rocket on land.
The rocket launched from Dongfeng Test Zone on August 19, 2026 at 07:35.
After 137 seconds the stages separated and the second placed the Honghu-03 satellite into orbit.
The stage performed a re-entry burn, deployed fins and legs, and touched down at 07:41 in Minqin, Gansu.
LandSpace seeks 7.5 billion yuan in a STAR Market IPO and targets ten launches per year.

History

Historical Context

On December 21, 2015, SpaceX successfully landed the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket after a 2-minute-30-second flight, proving reusable launch viability. Elon Musk’s company secured a $1.5 billion contract with NASA that year, and the recovered booster was refurbished for a subsequent launch within 30 days. LandSpace’s August 2026 Zhuque-3 Y2 recovery in Minqin mirrors SpaceX’s 2015 milestone, as both private firms used fins, legs, and re-entry burns to touch down safely. The precedent set by the 2015 landing fuels China’s push for ten annual launches and a 7.5 billion-yuan STAR Market IPO, accelerating global reusable-rocket competition.

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Story summary

LandSpace recovered the stage of its Zhuque-3 Y2 rocket on land.
The rocket launched from Dongfeng Test Zone on August 19, 2026 at 07:35.
After 137 seconds the stages separated and the second placed the Honghu-03 satellite into orbit.
The stage performed a re-entry burn, deployed fins and legs, and touched down at 07:41 in Minqin, Gansu.
LandSpace seeks 7.5 billion yuan in a STAR Market IPO and targets ten launches per year.

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