LandSpace\u2019s Zhuque-3 is a 217-foot-tall (66 meters) launch vehicle capable of lifting 40,350 lbs (18,300 kg) of payload to low Earth orbit (LEO). That\u2019s only a little less than SpaceX\u2019s Falcon 9, which has a payload capacity of 50,265 lbs (22,800 kg) to LEO.<\/p>\n Zhuque-3 takes many cues from the prolific Falcon 9 rocket. Both are two-stage rockets with a reusable first stage and an expendable upper stage. Much like Falcon 9, Zhuque-3\u2019s booster is powered by nine proprietary engines. LandSpace\u2019s Tianque-12A engine uses methane and liquid oxygen propellants.<\/p>\n China\u2019s rising private space industry<\/p>\n China\u2019s private space industry is looking to emulate SpaceX\u2019s success by flying reusable rockets to orbit. Beijing-based Space Pioneer, for example, became the first startup to reach orbit on its first attempt in April 2023.<\/p>\n LandSpace, meanwhile, has successfully flown its expendable Zhuque-2 rocket to orbit four times after one failure on its first attempt in December 2022. Its latest launch in August also ended in failure. Zhuque-2 was the first rocket using methane-liquid oxygen propellant to reach orbit.<\/p>\n In September 2024, Landspace performed a launch and landing flight test of Zhuque-3, which reached an altitude of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers). In June, it performed a separate static fire test<\/a>, firing its nine Tianque-12A engines for 45 seconds.<\/p>\n China\u2019s space industry is progressing at a dramatic rate. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has previously suggested<\/a> that China\u2019s space industry is at an advantage due to a less stringent regulatory process. While this has allowed Chinese space companies to iterate on designs rapidly, some high-profile accidents have also occurred in recent years. <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/image_0d5151.png\" "\\"China\u2019s")
An image of Zhuque-3 being rolled to the launch pad. Source: LandSpace \/ X<\/a><\/p>\n