Photos: Courtesy of Landspace

　　A rocket that once would have been discarded after completing its mission has now taken a different path - returning from the edge of space back to Earth. In the early hours on Wednesday, the Zhuque-3 Y2 reusable launch vehicle lifted off for a flight test, carrying not only a satellite payload but also a major test of China"s emerging reusable rocket capabilities. After completing its orbital mission, the rocket"s first stage attempted a controlled return and recovery, with its developers Beijing-based private firm LandSpace describing the mission as a key transition from technology verification toward engineering application for China"s commercial aerospace industry.

　　About 137 seconds after liftoff, the rocket’s first and second stages separated. The second stage continued its flight and successfully placed the Honghu-03 satellite, independently developed by Hongqing Technology, into its designated orbit. And at around 7:43 am, the rocket’s first stage successfully made a soft landing as planned at the Zhuque-3 landing site in Minqin county, Northwest China’s Gansu Province, marking the successful completion of the flight test mission.

　　This mission marked China"s first-ever recovery of a launch vehicle"s first stage using landing legs, as well as the country"s first land-based recovery of the first stage of an orbital-class launch vehicle, the developer highlighted.