China’s Zhuque-3 rocket landed but tipped over after a leg failed due to a post-landing fire

Chinese private aerospace company LandSpace achieved a historic milestone on August 18 when the first stage of its Zhuque-3 rocket successfully returned from an orbital mission for the first time in China. The booster, designated Zhuque-3 Y2, used deployable landing legs to touch down in a desert area after delivering the Honghu-03 satellite into orbit.

The landing itself was a success, but shortly after touchdown, a fire broke out on the booster. The blaze caused one of the landing legs to fail, making the stage unstable. It then tipped over onto its side. Despite the accident, the booster's main structure remained largely intact. LandSpace engineers believe the vehicle can be refurbished and flown again within six months.

This achievement is particularly important for the company following the failure of the first landing attempt during Zhuque-3's debut flight in 2025. The successful return marks a significant step forward for China's development of reusable methane-fueled rockets. LandSpace also simplified the landing procedure, which should improve the system's reliability in future missions. The company is now analyzing data from the flight to refine the landing sequence and prevent similar leg failures.