China’s reusable rocket faces setback as first stage fails to return
On December 23, China launched its reusable carrier rocket, the Changzheng-12A, from the Dongfeng launch site at 10:00 Beijing time. While the second stage successfully reached its planned orbit, the rocket’s first stage failed to safely return to Earth. Despite this, the launch was deemed “generally successful,” and the developer team has commenced an investigation.
Source Scmp
This was the maiden flight of the Changzheng-12A model and the second launch of a Chinese reusable rocket. Earlier, on December 3, the private company LandSpace launched the Zhuque-3 rocket, which reached orbit but also failed to recover its stage. Another reusable rocket, the Tianlong-3 by Space Pioneer, is scheduled for launch from the Jiuquan site, but its first flight will not include a stage recovery attempt.
These developments highlight China’s gradual progress in reusable rocket technology despite setbacks. Further testing is expected to improve the reliability and efficiency of stage recovery systems.
