China’s Reusable Rockets: Vertical Landing Tests

The global space industry is witnessing a significant shift as Chinese commercial space companies aggressively accelerate their development of reusable launch vehicles. Moving beyond traditional state-run programs, a wave of private startups is now conducting high-altitude “hop” tests—vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) experiments—designed to replicate the success of SpaceX’s Falcon 9. These tests are the critical final steps before attempting orbital launches and recoveries, with several companies targeting full reusability as early as 2025.

The Push for Chinese Commercial Reuse

For decades, China’s space program relied on the “Long March” family of disposable rockets. However, the economics of spaceflight have changed. To remain competitive and support massive infrastructure projects like the “Thousand Sails” internet constellation (a direct competitor to Starlink), China needs to lower launch costs and increase launch frequency.

This demand has fueled the rise of private “New Space” companies in China. These startups are not merely drawing blueprints; they are bending metal and crashing hardware in the desert. They are adopting the “fail fast, learn faster” iteration methodology that allowed SpaceX to dominate the market.

Key Players and Recent Tests

While the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) works on the Long March 10, the most dynamic progress is currently coming from commercial startups.

Deep Blue Aerospace: The Nebula-1 Test

One of the most high-profile recent attempts occurred in September 2024. Deep Blue Aerospace conducted a high-altitude vertical recovery test of its Nebula-1 rocket in Inner Mongolia.

The test was nearly perfect. The rocket ascended to roughly 5 kilometers, performed a lateral maneuver, and descended in a controlled manner. However, during the final seconds, a technical glitch occurred. The engine shut down slightly higher than intended due to an error in the landing height judgment logic. This caused the rocket to drop heavily onto the landing pad, resulting in a partial explosion and damage to the vehicle.

Despite the crash, the test verified 10 out of 11 key mission objectives, including thrust variability and guidance control. Deep Blue Aerospace immediately released drone footage of the event, signaling a transparency rare in traditional aerospace sectors. They are currently preparing for an orbital launch and recovery attempt in 2025.

LandSpace: The Methane Pioneer

LandSpace is perhaps the frontrunner in the Chinese commercial sector. Unlike the SpaceX Falcon 9 which runs on kerosene, LandSpace’s Zhuque-3 rocket utilizes liquid methane and liquid oxygen (methalox). This is the same fuel combination used by SpaceX’s massive Starship, chosen because it burns cleaner and makes engine reuse easier without extensive cleaning.

In September 2024, LandSpace successfully completed a 10-kilometer hop test with its Zhuque-3 VTVL test vehicle. Unlike the Nebula-1 test, this was a complete success. The rocket ascended, hovered, and touched down gently on its landing legs.

Key specs of the Zhuque-3 program:

• Material: Stainless steel (similar to Starship) to reduce costs and handle heat.
• Engine: Tianque-12 methane engines.
• Target: The company aims to perform its first orbital flight of the full-sized Zhuque-3 in 2025.

iSpace: Hyperbola Series

Beijing Interstellar Glory Space Technology, known as iSpace, has also been aggressive with VTVL testing. In late 2023, they successfully launched and landed their Hyperbola-2Y test vehicle. This rocket ascended to 343 meters before landing with high precision.

iSpace is using these tests to validate the guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) algorithms for the much larger Hyperbola-3. The Hyperbola-3 is designed to lift over 13 metric tons to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in its reusable configuration, placing it directly in the same payload class as the Falcon 9.

Technological Parallels and Divergences

Observers often note the visual similarities between these new Chinese rockets and SpaceX vehicles. They feature grid fins for aerodynamic steering during descent and landing legs that deploy moments before touchdown. However, there are distinct differences in their development paths.

Fuel Choices

The Chinese commercial sector is heavily pivoting toward methalox (methane) engines earlier than the US market did. While SpaceX built its dominance on the kerosene-fueled Merlin engine, Chinese startups like LandSpace are betting that starting with methane will save them from having to transition later. Methane is less prone to “coking” (soot buildup), which theoretically allows for faster turnaround times between flights.

The “Thousand Sails” Driver

The urgency for these tests is driven by the “Thousand Sails” (G60) constellation. China plans to deploy over 12,000 low-orbit satellites to create a global internet network. Doing this with disposable Long March rockets is financially unsustainable. The commercial startups conducting these hop tests are essentially auditioning for the contracts to launch these satellites.

Timeline for Orbital Recovery

The current phase of “hop tests” is expected to conclude for most major startups by early 2025. The next phase involves the following milestones:

1. Late 2024 - Early 2025: Final high-altitude vertical landing tests (10km to 100km).
2. Mid 2025: Maiden orbital launches of reusable-architecture rockets (Zhuque-3, Nebula-1, Hyperbola-3).
3. 2026: First attempts at recovering the first stage on a barge or land-based pad after an orbital payload delivery.

The pace is rapid. While SpaceX took years to perfect the landing sequence between the Grasshopper tests and the first Falcon 9 landing, Chinese startups are attempting to compress this timeline by learning from established physics and publicly available flight data.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a hop test and an orbital launch? A hop test is a suborbital flight where the rocket goes up a few kilometers and comes straight back down to test landing gear and engines. An orbital launch requires the rocket to go much faster and higher (hundreds of kilometers) to circle the earth.

Why are grid fins important for these rockets? Grid fins are waffle-iron-shaped flight control surfaces located near the top of the rocket booster. They manipulate air flow during the descent to steer the rocket toward the landing pad.

Are these companies government-owned? No. Companies like LandSpace, iSpace, and Deep Blue Aerospace are commercial entities. However, they often receive support from local governments and venture capital, and they coordinate closely with national space objectives.

Which company is closest to catching SpaceX? LandSpace is currently considered the leader among the startups, having already achieved orbit with a disposable methane rocket (Zhuque-2) and successfully completing high-altitude landing tests with the Zhuque-3 test platform.