Chinese rocket Zhuque-3 failed to land: what it means for the race with SpaceX.

According to Korrespondent.net: Chinese private company LandSpace faced failure during the first test of its promising reusable carrier Zhuque-3. The rocket successfully launched but failed to achieve a soft landing: during the maneuver, an 'abnormal combustion event' occurred that made controlled return to the landing pad impossible.

Currently, specialists are analyzing the causes of the incident, but this failure highlights the challenges of developing rockets that must return to Earth for reuse. LandSpace noted that the telemetry data obtained will be useful for improving the landing system.

The importance of developing reusable rockets

If Zhuque-3 had confirmed its status as the first Chinese reusable orbital rocket, it could have significantly accelerated the development of the national space program, reduced launch costs, and allowed for more frequent missions, including for the creation of large satellite constellations similar to Starlink.

Developing reusable rockets requires high precision and complex maneuvers. After separation, the stage must turn around, slow down, withstand supersonic descent through dense layers of the atmosphere, and relaunch engines just seconds before landing. Even the smallest errors in the angle of descent or timing can lead to loss of control.

Currently, only SpaceX consistently executes such landings, demonstrating the highest global pace of orbital launches and an effective monopoly in the reusable rocket sector. For companies aiming to catch up, the main obstacle remains the lack of a large amount of data and experience.

In October, Elon Musk praised the design of Zhuque-3, believing it could surpass the Falcon 9. According to LandSpace's plans, the rocket is expected to fly at least 20 times and carry payloads of up to 18 tons.

Please note, earlier reports mentioned the successful launch of SpaceX's Starship.

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Today's failure of LandSpace raises new questions about the prospects of the Chinese space program. The importance of developing reusable rockets is evident, as it could reduce costs for space launches and enhance competition in the international space arena. Further experience from LandSpace and analysis of the causes of this failure could be key for future successes in this field.