Science
fromTheregister
1 week agoChina's reusable rocket makes it to orbit, fails landing
LandSpace's ZhuQue-3 reached orbit on its maiden flight, but the first stage suffered an ignition anomaly and exploded during the attempted recovery.
Airspace warning notices advising pilots to steer clear of the rocket's flight path suggest LandSpace has a launch window of about two hours. When it lifts off, the Zhuque-3 (Vermillion Bird-3) rocket will become the largest commercial launch vehicle ever flown in China. What's more, LandSpace will become the first Chinese launch provider to attempt a landing of its first stage booster, using the same tried-and-true return method pioneered by SpaceX and, more recently, Blue Origin in the United States.
Two companies, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and China's LandSpace, could join SpaceX's exclusive club as soon as next month. (Bezos might claim he's already part of the club, but there's a distinction to be made.) Each company is in the final stages of launch preparations-Blue Origin for its second New Glenn rocket, and LandSpace for the debut flight of its Zhuque-3 rocket.