China yesterday inaugurated its reusable Zhuque-3 carrier rocket, a milestone launch from the nation's northwest that showcases Beijing's advancing space propulsion capabilities.
The Zhuque-3 lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at dawn, marking China's first successful orbital insertion of a fully reusable launch system. The second stage separated smoothly, and the booster returned to the designated recovery zone, demonstrating reusable technology readiness.
The launch fulfills a key objective of China's 15th Five-Year Plan for space development, accelerating the nation's ambitions to achieve cost-effective and frequent access to orbit. Industry analysts view the achievement as a strategic leap that could reshape global launch competition.