China’s Zhuque-3 reusable rocket to relaunch for first time in six months

Chinese private aerospace company Blue Arrow Space Start preparing The first stage of the Suzaku-3 rocket flew again, marking the first time in the company’s history that it successfully landed softly on the ground after being launched from orbit. Company officials said they will restart the same booster in about six months after repairs, inspections and maintenance. This will be a step from demonstrating reusability to its operation.

The stage is about to land. Image source: Blue Arrow Space

The Zhuque-3 rocket was successfully launched on August 18, 2026. The booster separated shortly after launch and returned gently to Earth, 390 kilometers from the launch site. The second stage will deliver the payload of the Honghu-3 satellite into orbit. This is the second launch of the Zhuque-3 rocket. Although the payload was launched into orbit, the previous one ended with the loss of the first stage. This time, both stage missions were successful, and Blue Arrow Aerospace returned the reusable first stage to the ground. At this point, Blue Arrow Aerospace has become the fourth company in the world after SpaceX and Blue Origin, and the second company in China after CALT to return the performance stage for reuse.

Before flying again, engineers will conduct detailed inspections of the structure, engines, thermal protection and control systems. Special attention will be paid to the loads during reentry and landing: the first stage is subject to huge thermal and mechanical loads, so a simple inspection will not be enough. Clearly there will be a need for telemetry analysis, examination of remaining life of components and possible replacement of individual components, especially since the stage caught fire after landing and apparently sustained additional damage.

The company previously said the Suzaku-3 was designed for at least 20 flights per stage, but it has not yet achieved that goal. The first convincing step on this path will be to restart the stage that has already flown into space, and this event is not far away.