In a global first, LandSpace, China’s leading commercial rocket company, recovered a stainless steel booster after an orbital launch, marking an important step in the country’s efforts to develop lower-cost, reusable rockets. It is also the first country that manages to recover orbital launch through different technological routes, implementing a two-track strategy that even the United States, which was a pioneer in reusable rocket technology, has not yet executed. Zhuque-3 is China’s first commercial rocket to reach orbit and have its first stage. recovered. Like SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Blue Origin’s New Glenn, Zhuque-3 uses landing legs to recover its rockets. But last month, China was the first to recover a booster in an orbital launch with a different technique, after the first stage of CASC’s Long March 10B was recovered using a unique sea-based net capture system.
