It's official: reusable rockets have moved from sci-fi hype to real-deal infrastructure 🚀. This December, two of China's biggest new players—LandSpace's Zhuque-3 and the state-backed Long March-12A—nailed satellite launches on their maiden flights.
While both rockets delivered their payloads successfully, the big challenge—landing and reuse—remains. Why? Let's break it down: surviving hypersonic re-entry (think Mach 5+), handling temperatures hotter than a street-food tawa in Delhi's summer or a Bangkok food-cart sizzle, reigniting engines mid-descent, and guiding the booster back to a pinpoint landing pad. It's like threading a needle… at 25,000 km/h. 🌡️✨
China's Bold Approach
Instead of easing in, China pushed straight to recovery tests on first flights. Zhuque-3's booster achieved controlled descent and engine reignition—just short of a clean touchdown. That tungsten-level ambition? It's driven by rocket design and fuel choice: Zhuque-3 uses stainless-steel tanks with liquid methane and oxygen, a cleaner-burning combo that slashes cleanup time between launches.
Rockets vs. Reality
SpaceX spent nearly a decade fine-tuning Falcon 9 landings. Now, Chinese teams want to shortcut that curve. Their goal? Three launches per month per vehicle, driving costs down to around $3,000/kg—on par with Falcon 9's commercial rates. 🔄💸
Global Race on the Rise
It's not just China. In November, Blue Origin's New Glenn joined the reuse club with a second-flight booster recovery. Over in Japan, Honda surprised the scene with a vertical takeoff and landing test. India's space startups are eyeing spaceplane-style recoveries. From Mumbai to Manila to Jakarta, the race is widening. 🌏
What's Next?
In 2026, expect more comeback attempts from a slew of Chinese rockets. Some will stick the landing, others will crash and burn—but every test brings us closer to reusable, reliable space transport. For fans across South Asia and Southeast Asia, this means faster connectivity, more satellites overhead, and maybe even interplanetary adventures in our lifetime. Dream big, aim higher! 🌌
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
