On 23 August 2026 – CNSA –China National Space Administration …. At. Wenchang, Hainan Province, China, People’s Republic of China Just last night (August 23), it was officially announced that the Chang’e-7 mission has missed this year’s scheduled launch window due to not meeting the launch conditions, and the next opportunity will have to wait until next year.
According to the China Manned Space Engineering Office: Based on the principles of prudence, reliability, and absolute safety, and after comprehensive assessment, the Chang’e-7 mission does not meet the launch conditions and cannot be carried out in the scheduled window this year.
I. Mission Delay: Originally scheduled for launch this week, it has now been confirmed that the launch window has been missed.
Official announcement : On August 23, the China Manned Space Engineering Office announced that, based on the principles of prudence, reliability, and absolute safety, and after comprehensive assessment, the Chang’e-7 mission does not meet the launch requirements and cannot be carried out within the scheduled launch window this year
The original plan was for the Chang’e-7 lunar probe and the Long March-5 Y14 carrier rocket to be vertically transported to the launch area on August 19, with the launch scheduled for August 24 or
Current status : The launch window has closed, and the mission has been postponed to next year. Further official announcements are pending
II. Reason for postponement: Typhoon approaching and a tight timeframe.
Direct cause : Typhoon No. 19 “Zitan” lingered in the Beibu Gulf, bringing strong winds, high humidity, and other unfavorable meteorological conditions, which affected the safety of rocket launches.
Launch window characteristics : The lighting conditions in the lunar south polar landing area are extremely harsh, with only one optimal launch window each year in late August. If you miss it, you have to wait another year.
Comprehensive constraints : The launch window must simultaneously meet four major constraints: Earth-Moon transfer orbit, polar day illumination in the landing area, solar panel power supply, and the angle of reverberation. Recalculating the orbit involves an enormous amount of work.27
III. Mission Highlights: One of the most complex lunar exploration missions in history
The Chang’e-7 mission consists of an orbiter, a lander, a rover, and a flyby spacecraft, which, together with the Queqiao-2 relay satellite, achieves a four-in-one exploration mission encompassing orbiting, landing, roving, and flyby
Core objective : To search for water ice near Shackleton Crater at the lunar south pole, with a landing site approximately 36 kilometers from the lunar south pole
Technical Highlights : The spacecraft can leap 15 kilometers in a single bound, directly plunging into a permanently shadowed crater for in-situ exploration—a first in human lunar exploration history.
International collaboration : The mission carried six scientific payloads from seven countries, including Thailand, Italy, Russia, Egypt, Bahrain, and Switzerland.
On 19 August 2026 – CNSA –China National Space Administration …. At. Wenchang, Hainan Province, China, People’s Republic of China …… The Chang’e 7 mission spacecraft and rocket combination has completed vertical transport and is scheduled for launch soon. Beijing time, August 19, 2026, the Chang’e7 probe and the Long March 5 Y14 carrier rocket completed relevant work in the technical area at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China, and the spacecraft and rocket combination has been vertically transported to the launch area.
The Chang’e 7 probe and the Long March 5 Y14 carrier rocket arrived at the launch site in April and July respectively, and have successively completed assembly, testing, and other preparations. Currently, the launch site facilities and equipment are in good condition, and subsequent pre-launch functional checks, joint tests, propellant loading, and other work will be carried out as planned, with launch scheduled for soon .
On August 19, 2026, Beijing time, the Chang’e-7 lunar probe and the Long March-5 Y14 carrier rocket completed relevant work in the technical area at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China, and the vehicle and rocket assembly has been vertically transferred to the launch area.
The Chang’e-7 probe and the Long March-5 Y14 carrier rocket arrived at the launch site in April and July respectively, and have successively completed assembly, testing, and other preparatory work. Currently, the launch site facilities and equipment are in good condition, and subsequent pre-launch functional checks, joint tests, and propellant loading will be carried out as planned, with launch scheduled for the near future.
The Chang’e-7 probe and the Long March-5 Y14 carrier rocket were vertically transported to the launch area at the Wenchang Space Launch Site today (August 19). The launch is scheduled to take place in the coming days, marking the final sprint stage of my country’s lunar exploration program’s fourth phase of lunar south pole exploration
I. The launch mission has entered the pre-launch phase.
Latest update : On the morning of August 19, the Chang’e-7 spacecraft and rocket combination completed its vertical transfer and was officially moved from the technical area to the launch area, marking the start of the critical countdown phase of the launch process.
Preliminary preparations : The probe arrived at the Wenchang launch site in April and the Long March 5 Y14 rocket in July, respectively, and all preparations, including final assembly and testing, were completed.
Current status : The launch site facilities and equipment are in good condition. Subsequent pre-launch functional checks, joint tests, propellant loading, and other tasks will be carried out as planned
I. The mission is to head straight to the lunar south pole to find water ice.
Core objective : To conduct exploration of the lunar south pole environment and resources using a comprehensive exploration approach that includes orbiting, landing, roving, and flyby, with a focus on finding potential water ice resources within permanently shadowed craters.@USTCHuBugui4
Landing area : The planned landing site is the South Pole-Aitken Basin above 85° south latitude on the moon. This area contains a large number of permanently shadowed craters that never see sunlight, and the temperature at the bottom of the craters can be as low as -230°C, which is considered by the scientific community to be very likely to contain water ice.
Significance of the breakthrough : Chang’e-7 is expected to make China the first country in the world to directly find water on the moon, providing key resource data for the subsequent construction of lunar research stations and manned lunar landing
III. Many cutting-edge technologies will be tested in real combat.
High-precision soft landing : Breakthrough in sub-100-meter lunar soft landing technology to cope with the rugged and complex terrain of Antarctica.
Innovations of the spacecraft : The world’s first lunar surface probe capable of multiple autonomous jumps, capable of flying into permanently shadowed craters to drill about 1 meter deep into lunar soil and analyze water ice content in situ.6
Legged walking : The lunar rover adopts a six-legged bionic leg design to adapt to the complex terrain of Antarctica and has a stronger obstacle-crossing ability
The Chang’e-7 mission is the third mission in the fourth phase of China’s lunar exploration program, following the Chang’e-4 and Chang’e-6 missions. It plans to conduct a comprehensive exploration of the lunar near-antarctic region, encompassing orbiting, landing, roving, and flyby. The pre-selected landing area is the South Pole-Aitken Basin region above 85°S latitude on the Moon. The mission plans to conduct environmental and resource surveys in the lunar near-antarctic region, including exploration of the lunar surface environment, lunar regolith, water ice, and volatile components. It will acquire remote sensing and in-situ scientific data from the entire Moon, the landing area, and the roving area, and lay the foundation for the construction of a lunar research station.
The Chang’e-7 mission mainly consists of four parts: an orbiter, a lander, a rover, and a flyby. Compared to the Chang’e-5 and Chang’e-6 probes, in terms of structure, Chang’e-7 reduced the return capsule and ascent vehicle, and added the rover and flyby (which are of scientific significance); in terms of function, while the Chang’e-5 and Chang’e-6 probes focused on sample return, the Chang’e-7 mission emphasizes scientific exploration and research.
The Chang’e-7 orbiter carried payloads including the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSMC), the Lunar Neutron Gamma Spectrometer (LNGS), the Wideband Infrared Spectroscopic Imaging Analyzer (WISMIA), the Lunar Circumferential Magnetometer (LOM), and the Lunar Microwave Imaging Radar (MSAR), operating in a near-lunar polar orbit at an altitude of 200 kilometers for lunar remote sensing. The lander carried payloads including the Seismometer (LS), the Lunar Surface Environment Detection System (LSEDS), the Landing Camera (LC), and the Topography Camera (TC) for in-situ lunar surface environment detection. The rover carried payloads including the Panoramic Camera (PC), the Lunar Surface Magnetometer (RM), the Lunar Regolith Volatile Matter Analyzer (IsMSV), the Lunar Raman Spectrometer (LRS), and the Lunar Penetrating Radar (LPR) for multi-directional detection of the exploration area. The flyby carried payloads including the Lunar Regolith Water Molecular Analyzer (LSWMA) for flyby to permanently shadowed craters to conduct water ice drilling and analysis.
The Long March 5 rocket used in this mission is a large cryogenic liquid-fueled launch vehicle with a two-and-a-half-stage tandem configuration. The core stage consists of a 5-meter diameter hydrogen-oxygen stage and a core stage composed of two core stages connected in series. The booster stage has four 3.35-meter diameter liquid oxygen/kerosene boosters bundled together with the core stage. This rocket is primarily used for launches into medium and high Earth orbit and deep space, and is one of the rocket models used by China for the most deep space launches.
The Long March 5 rocket is 56.97 meters tall (with a 5.2-meter diameter short fairing), with a core stage diameter of 5 meters. It has a liftoff mass of approximately 877 tons and a liftoff thrust of 1068 tons. Its payload capacity to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) is no less than 14 tons, to lunar transfer orbit (TLI) no less than 8.35 tons, and to Earth-Mars transfer orbit (TMI) no less than 5.2 tons. This particular rocket is equipped with a 5.2-meter diameter, 12.267-meter height short/standard fairing. Currently, the Long March 5 is the most powerful deep-space launch rocket in Asia.
Since its successful maiden flight on November 3, 2016, the Long March 5 has carried out 11 launch missions, including 3 deep space launches. On November 3, 2026, the Long March 5 will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its maiden flight. With its powerful carrying capacity and continuous and stable launch performance, it remains irreplaceable in medium and high Earth orbit and deep space missions.
It is expected that the Chang’e-7 probe will be launched into space by the Long March 5 Y14 carrier rocket as early as the morning of August 24. Subsequently, the Chang’e-7 probe combination will be sent into the Earth-Moon transfer orbit, starting China’s first deep space exploration mission this year.
Meanwhile, the Chang’e-7 mission is also a major deep-space exploration mission of the year, its importance lying not only in the size of the probe and the diversity of its exploration methods, but also in its laying the foundation for the construction of a lunar research station, further supporting the Chang’e-8 mission in this area. According to the plan, China will complete the basic structure of its lunar research station by 2030 and expand it into an international joint base (International Lunar Research Station) by 2035.
深蓝航天 Deep Blue Limited – Deep Blue AerospaceLandspace One of sixty Chinese private space Carrier Rocket Companies in China-People’s Republic of China… As many of sixty plus Private Rocket Deep Blue Aerospace Co., Ltd. was established in 2017. The company is mainly a high-tech aerospace enterprise that focuses on the direction of liquid recovery and reusable launch vehicles and provides users with commercial launch services. Deep Blue Aerospace Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Nantong City, Jiangsu Province. At the same time, the company has rocket general and liquid engine R&D centers in Yizhuang, Beijing and Xi’an, Shaanxi, respectively, and a rocket power system test base in Tongchuan, Shaanxi…..
China’s Landspace – China, People’s Republic of China has commercially successfully carried out its first land-based recovery of a reusable launch vehicle.
At 7:35 AM on August 19, 2026, the Zhuque-3 Y2 carrier rocket was launched from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone. At 7:41 AM, the first stage of the rocket successfully completed its land recovery according to the predetermined procedure, marking a complete success for the mission. This mission represents my country’s first successful controlled land recovery of a reusable carrier rocket’s first stage using landing legs, following the successful recovery of the Long March-10B carrier rocket’s first stage sea-based landing system on July 10. This achievement signifies a major breakthrough in my country’s reusable rocket technology.
The silver and red “Vermilion Bird” descended through the clouds. At a height of 100 meters above the ground, its four landing outriggers suddenly extended, gripping the earth like giant pincers.
At 7:44 a.m., after a flight of 390 kilometers, the first stage of the Zhuque-3 Y2 carrier rocket landed steadily at the Minqin Rocket Recovery Site in Gansu Province.
The Zhuque rocket successfully returned to its nest! China’s first successful vertical recovery and land-based landing of the first-stage landing leg of an orbital-class carrier rocket!
This marks a new chapter in China’s commercial space program: the rocket independently developed by the private company LandSpace has been successfully recovered, and its payload has been successfully placed into orbit, laying a solid technical foundation for my country to build a high-frequency, low-cost, and highly reliable space transportation system.
8 minutes and 41 seconds—the short flight of the Zhuque (Vermilion Bird) encapsulates eleven years of exploration by China’s commercial space industry, from “catching up” to “running alongside” the world.
The footage is replayed, counting from the beginning.
At 7:35 a.m., with the countdown of “ten, nine, eight…”, nine liquid oxygen methane engines ignited simultaneously, and the Zhuque rocket rose into the sky.
The Zhuque-3 launch vehicle is a new generation of low-cost, high-capacity, high-frequency, reusable liquid oxygen-methane launch vehicle approved by the China National Space Administration, and developed by LandSpace Technology Co., Ltd. The rocket adopts a single-core, two-stage tandem configuration, with stainless steel as the primary material. It is powered entirely by liquid oxygen-methane, has a total length of 66.1 meters, a first and second stage diameter of 4.5 meters, and a fairing diameter of 5.2 meters. The first stage is equipped with a return control system, grid fins, and landing legs, enabling vertical recovery and reuse after orbital launch.
During the mission, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) organized the entire engineering team to thoroughly implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions and instructions on accelerating the construction of a space power, resolutely implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, innovate organizational models, attract commercial space companies to participate in major national missions, continuously support key technology breakthroughs, conduct special quality and safety inspections, and steadily and efficiently organize and promote the mission, ensuring the complete success of the Zhuque-3 reusable launch vehicle’s return-to-space mission. Next, the CNSA will continue to promote the engineering application of reusable launch vehicles in my country, effectively enhancing my country’s ability to access space with large capacity, low cost, and high frequency.
At this moment, Man Haifeng, general manager of Beichen Aerospace, stared intently at the fierce red flames spewing from the tail of the Zhuque. The pressurization and delivery system, which his team helped design, is like a smooth “blood vessel,” responsible for stably and reliably delivering the propellant in the tanks to the engine, allowing the Zhuque to flap its wings steadily.
Three years of hardship, countless emotions. Man Haifeng was at a loss for words. “Connecting hundreds of small pipes into a smooth ‘main artery’ required an extremely complex and meticulous design. In order to find the optimal solution, we scrapped and started over hundreds of times.”
At 7:38 a.m., after sending the second stage of the rocket into space, the Zhuque rocket returned shortly afterward. Its four grid fins spread like wings, the attitude control system emitted cool air, the engine adjusted its thrust, and the rocket precisely glided down along the coordinates.
“Rapid response and smooth control!” Zhang Yunlong, Minister of Marketing at Qingdao Zhiteng Microelectronics, clapped his hands. “We made hundreds of sensors and converters for Zhuque, and we can monitor its operating status in detail, just like sensory nerves.”
In its early years, Zhiteng developed “deep-sea nerves” for oil exploration at depths of tens of thousands of meters on the seabed. In 2015, it shifted its focus to serving commercial aerospace. After more than a decade of dedicated research, the 27-person R&D team has finally honed the two instruments that are located throughout the rocket body to the sharpness of an eagle’s eye.
At 7:44 a.m., the crowd watching from afar erupted in cheers for the steadily standing “divine bird” Vermilion Bird.
Wu Shufan, co-founder of LandSpace, academician of the International Academy of Astronautics, and professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, received a constant stream of congratulatory messages on WeChat.
“The recovery of the Zhuque satellite has reduced launch costs by orders of magnitude. The cost of launching a 1-kilogram satellite is expected to drop to 20,000 yuan.” He said, barely containing his excitement, “Rocket recovery technology is the jewel of the world’s aerospace industry. Blue Arrow spent a full 11 years to finally bring it to fruition.”
In the eyes of Commander-in-Chief Dai Zheng, the “divine” aspect of the Vermilion Bird goes far beyond its reusability—it signifies that China is fully capable of establishing a complete core technology chain and industrial foundation encompassing design, manufacturing, launch, and recovery.
“To get your own perfect score, you have to write out the solution yourself,” Dai Zheng said.
The morning light was still thick, and life was beginning to emerge on the Gobi Desert.
The Vermilion Bird, which had been standing upright, slowly lay down to undergo a “physical examination” in order to ensure that it could still fly “spirited and free” in the next flight.
As designed, it can take off multiple times. If it passes the “physical examination,” Zhuque will return to the launch site soon .
I. Core Breakthrough: First Orbit-Level Land Recovery
The Zhuque-3 Y2 mission achieved three “firsts” for China’s space program:
Landing leg recovery : This marks the first time China has successfully recovered the first stage of a carrier rocket using landing legs, a departure from the previous Long March 10B’s method of using a net-like capture system on a sea platform.
Orbital-stage recovery : This is China’s first carrier rocket to successfully enter orbit and achieve land recovery. The first stage returned from an altitude of over 100 kilometers and landed precisely on a 60-meter by 60-meter landing pad.
A first for a private company : LandSpace has thus become the first private aerospace company in China to successfully recover the first stage of a liquid rocket.
II. Technical Approach: Practical Application of Reusing Liquid Oxygen, Methane, and Stainless Steel
The Zhuque-3 rocket adopted a hardware combination adapted for high-frequency reuse, thereby verifying the engineering feasibility of the “liquid oxygen and methane propellant + stainless steel rocket body structure + vertical recovery of landing legs” technology chain
The rocket is 66.1 meters long and has a liftoff mass of approximately 570 tons. Its core stage is constructed from low-cost, high-temperature-resistant stainless steel. The liquid oxygen and methane fuel does not easily accumulate carbon after combustion, and the engine is easier to maintain after recovery, making it more suitable for reuse.
During recovery, the first stage undergoes a series of processes: altitude attitude control, reentry ignition deceleration, aerodynamic gliding control, and final landing ignition. Its key component, the titanium alloy grid fin, acts as the “aerodynamic steering wheel” for the return phase, responsible for precise attitude control of the rocket
III. Economic Overview: The Era of 20,000 Yuan Per Kilogram
Successful recovery opens the door to significantly reducing rocket launch costs:
The first stage accounts for about 70% of the hardware cost of a liquid rocket. If it can be reused, the hardware depreciation cost per launch will be greatly reduced.
The first stage of the Zhuque-3 rocket is designed to be reused at least 20 times, with the goal of reducing the launch cost per kilogram to below 20,000 RMB, a reduction of 70% to 90% compared to traditional expendable rockets. This low-cost launch capability is crucial for the future networking of tens of thousands of low-Earth orbit satellite
深蓝航天 Deep Blue Limited – Deep Blue AerospaceLandspace One of sixty Chinese private space Carrier Rocket Companies in China-People’s Republic of China… As many of sixty plus Private Rocket Deep Blue Aerospace Co., Ltd. was established in 2017. The company is mainly a high-tech aerospace enterprise that focuses on the direction of liquid recovery and reusable launch vehicles and provides users with commercial launch services. Deep Blue Aerospace Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Nantong City, Jiangsu Province. At the same time, the company has rocket general and liquid engine R&D centers in Yizhuang, Beijing and Xi’an, Shaanxi, respectively, and a rocket power system test base in Tongchuan, Shaanxi…..
China’s Landspace – China, People’s Republic of China has commercially successfully carried out its first land-based recovery of a reusable launch vehicle.
At 7:35 AM on August 19, 2026, the Zhuque-3 Y2 carrier rocket was launched from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone. At 7:41 AM, the first stage of the rocket successfully completed its land recovery according to the predetermined procedure, marking a complete success for the mission. This mission represents my country’s first successful controlled land recovery of a reusable carrier rocket’s first stage using landing legs, following the successful recovery of the Long March-10B carrier rocket’s first stage sea-based landing system on July 10. This achievement signifies a major breakthrough in my country’s reusable rocket technology.
The silver and red “Vermilion Bird” descended through the clouds. At a height of 100 meters above the ground, its four landing outriggers suddenly extended, gripping the earth like giant pincers.
At 7:44 a.m., after a flight of 390 kilometers, the first stage of the Zhuque-3 Y2 carrier rocket landed steadily at the Minqin Rocket Recovery Site in Gansu Province.
The Zhuque rocket successfully returned to its nest! China’s first successful vertical recovery and land-based landing of the first-stage landing leg of an orbital-class carrier rocket!
This marks a new chapter in China’s commercial space program: the rocket independently developed by the private company LandSpace has been successfully recovered, and its payload has been successfully placed into orbit, laying a solid technical foundation for my country to build a high-frequency, low-cost, and highly reliable space transportation system.
8 minutes and 41 seconds—the short flight of the Zhuque (Vermilion Bird) encapsulates eleven years of exploration by China’s commercial space industry, from “catching up” to “running alongside” the world.
The footage is replayed, counting from the beginning.
At 7:35 a.m., with the countdown of “ten, nine, eight…”, nine liquid oxygen methane engines ignited simultaneously, and the Zhuque rocket rose into the sky.
The Zhuque-3 launch vehicle is a new generation of low-cost, high-capacity, high-frequency, reusable liquid oxygen-methane launch vehicle approved by the China National Space Administration, and developed by LandSpace Technology Co., Ltd. The rocket adopts a single-core, two-stage tandem configuration, with stainless steel as the primary material. It is powered entirely by liquid oxygen-methane, has a total length of 66.1 meters, a first and second stage diameter of 4.5 meters, and a fairing diameter of 5.2 meters. The first stage is equipped with a return control system, grid fins, and landing legs, enabling vertical recovery and reuse after orbital launch.
During the mission, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) organized the entire engineering team to thoroughly implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions and instructions on accelerating the construction of a space power, resolutely implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, innovate organizational models, attract commercial space companies to participate in major national missions, continuously support key technology breakthroughs, conduct special quality and safety inspections, and steadily and efficiently organize and promote the mission, ensuring the complete success of the Zhuque-3 reusable launch vehicle’s return-to-space mission. Next, the CNSA will continue to promote the engineering application of reusable launch vehicles in my country, effectively enhancing my country’s ability to access space with large capacity, low cost, and high frequency.
At this moment, Man Haifeng, general manager of Beichen Aerospace, stared intently at the fierce red flames spewing from the tail of the Zhuque. The pressurization and delivery system, which his team helped design, is like a smooth “blood vessel,” responsible for stably and reliably delivering the propellant in the tanks to the engine, allowing the Zhuque to flap its wings steadily.
Three years of hardship, countless emotions. Man Haifeng was at a loss for words. “Connecting hundreds of small pipes into a smooth ‘main artery’ required an extremely complex and meticulous design. In order to find the optimal solution, we scrapped and started over hundreds of times.”
At 7:38 a.m., after sending the second stage of the rocket into space, the Zhuque rocket returned shortly afterward. Its four grid fins spread like wings, the attitude control system emitted cool air, the engine adjusted its thrust, and the rocket precisely glided down along the coordinates.
“Rapid response and smooth control!” Zhang Yunlong, Minister of Marketing at Qingdao Zhiteng Microelectronics, clapped his hands. “We made hundreds of sensors and converters for Zhuque, and we can monitor its operating status in detail, just like sensory nerves.”
In its early years, Zhiteng developed “deep-sea nerves” for oil exploration at depths of tens of thousands of meters on the seabed. In 2015, it shifted its focus to serving commercial aerospace. After more than a decade of dedicated research, the 27-person R&D team has finally honed the two instruments that are located throughout the rocket body to the sharpness of an eagle’s eye.
At 7:44 a.m., the crowd watching from afar erupted in cheers for the steadily standing “divine bird” Vermilion Bird.
Wu Shufan, co-founder of LandSpace, academician of the International Academy of Astronautics, and professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, received a constant stream of congratulatory messages on WeChat.
“The recovery of the Zhuque satellite has reduced launch costs by orders of magnitude. The cost of launching a 1-kilogram satellite is expected to drop to 20,000 yuan.” He said, barely containing his excitement, “Rocket recovery technology is the jewel of the world’s aerospace industry. Blue Arrow spent a full 11 years to finally bring it to fruition.”
In the eyes of Commander-in-Chief Dai Zheng, the “divine” aspect of the Vermilion Bird goes far beyond its reusability—it signifies that China is fully capable of establishing a complete core technology chain and industrial foundation encompassing design, manufacturing, launch, and recovery.
“To get your own perfect score, you have to write out the solution yourself,” Dai Zheng said.
The morning light was still thick, and life was beginning to emerge on the Gobi Desert.
The Vermilion Bird, which had been standing upright, slowly lay down to undergo a “physical examination” in order to ensure that it could still fly “spirited and free” in the next flight.
As designed, it can take off multiple times. If it passes the “physical examination,” Zhuque will return to the launch site soon .
I. Core Breakthrough: First Orbit-Level Land Recovery
The Zhuque-3 Y2 mission achieved three “firsts” for China’s space program:
Landing leg recovery : This marks the first time China has successfully recovered the first stage of a carrier rocket using landing legs, a departure from the previous Long March 10B’s method of using a net-like capture system on a sea platform.
Orbital-stage recovery : This is China’s first carrier rocket to successfully enter orbit and achieve land recovery. The first stage returned from an altitude of over 100 kilometers and landed precisely on a 60-meter by 60-meter landing pad.
A first for a private company : LandSpace has thus become the first private aerospace company in China to successfully recover the first stage of a liquid rocket.
II. Technical Approach: Practical Application of Reusing Liquid Oxygen, Methane, and Stainless Steel
The Zhuque-3 rocket adopted a hardware combination adapted for high-frequency reuse, thereby verifying the engineering feasibility of the “liquid oxygen and methane propellant + stainless steel rocket body structure + vertical recovery of landing legs” technology chain
The rocket is 66.1 meters long and has a liftoff mass of approximately 570 tons. Its core stage is constructed from low-cost, high-temperature-resistant stainless steel. The liquid oxygen and methane fuel does not easily accumulate carbon after combustion, and the engine is easier to maintain after recovery, making it more suitable for reuse.
During recovery, the first stage undergoes a series of processes: altitude attitude control, reentry ignition deceleration, aerodynamic gliding control, and final landing ignition. Its key component, the titanium alloy grid fin, acts as the “aerodynamic steering wheel” for the return phase, responsible for precise attitude control of the rocket
III. Economic Overview: The Era of 20,000 Yuan Per Kilogram
Successful recovery opens the door to significantly reducing rocket launch costs:
The first stage accounts for about 70% of the hardware cost of a liquid rocket. If it can be reused, the hardware depreciation cost per launch will be greatly reduced.
The first stage of the Zhuque-3 rocket is designed to be reused at least 20 times, with the goal of reducing the launch cost per kilogram to below 20,000 RMB, a reduction of 70% to 90% compared to traditional expendable rockets. This low-cost launch capability is crucial for the future networking of tens of thousands of low-Earth orbit satellite
At 11:02 AM Beijing time on August 17, Hours Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time 30th July 2026 , China- People’s Republic of China-CNSA –China National Space Administration At 11:02 AM Beijing time on August 17, 2026, China successfully launched the UAE SEO satellite into its predetermined orbit using a Long March-2C carrier rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The launch mission was a complete success. This mission marked the 664th flight of the Long March series carrier rockets.
This project is dedicated to developing cutting-edge aerospace technology and is crucial for achieving sustainable development in aerospace technology …
At 11:02 AM on August 17, 2026, my country successfully launched the SEO satellite into its predetermined orbit using a Long March 2C carrier rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The launch mission was a complete success.
Key information about the mission:
Launch time : 11:02 AM Beijing time on August 17, 20262
Launch site : Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center1
Launch vehicle : Long March 2C launch vehicle; this was the 664th flight mission of the Long March series of launch vehicles.4
Satellite Ownership : UAE SEO Satellite519
Satellite Purpose : The SEO satellite is primarily used to acquire and analyze data related to ecological environmental protection and natural resource management, enhancing planning capabilities and improving decision-making efficiency. This launch is also a significant achievement of China-Arab space cooperation, aiming to promote the application of cutting-edge space technologies in sustainable scenarios.
As of this launch, China’s space program has completed its 58th launch mission in 2026, maintaining a success rate of over 93%. The Long March 2C rocket, as my country’s longest-serving rocket, possesses the capability to launch one or more satellites at once and to deploy constellations, demonstrating strong mission adaptability
At 11:02 a.m. today, my country successfully launched an SEO satellite into orbit using a Long March 2C rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. This satellite does not belong to China but is an Earth observation satellite launched for the United Arab Emirates. It returned to the launch site only 7 days after its previous mission failed.
I. Core Parameters of Launch Mission
Time and Location : 11:02 AM, August 17, 2026, Launch Pad 9, Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
Launch vehicle : Long March 2C launch vehicle, approximately 40 meters long, with a takeoff mass of approximately 242.5 tons and a near-Earth payload capacity of approximately 4600 kg.
Mission number : 664th flight of the Long March series carrier rockets, 88th launch of the Long March 2C.
Launch result : The satellite successfully entered its predetermined orbit, and the mission was a complete success
II. Satellite Identity and Purpose
Satellite Name : SEO Satellite (Satellite for Earth Observation), i.e., Earth observation satellite
Owned by : UAE, this is an innovative achievement of China-UAE space cooperation.
Main tasks : To acquire and analyze data in areas such as ecological environment protection and natural resource management, and to improve planning capabilities and decision-making efficiency.
III. The Special Significance of the Task
Rapidly Restored Launch Capability : Just seven days after the failed launch of the Zhongxing-4b satellite by the Long March 7A carrier rocket on August 10, China’s space program returned to the launch site and succeeded in the fastest possible time.
Internationalization of Commercial Spaceflight : Providing a successful case study for Chinese commercial rockets to secure international orders and expand into overseas launch markets.
The Long March 2C rocket has achieved another remarkable feat : Having made its maiden flight in 1982, it is China’s longest-serving rocket currently in service. Awarded the “Gold Medal Rocket” title in 1999, it continues to maintain a high success rate.
