China also plans to launch a reusable rocket within 2025



It has been revealed that three Chinese space companies are expected to launch partially reusable rockets by 2025. To date, only two companies, SpaceX and Blue Origin, have successfully launched a rocket and landed the reusable parts, making them the third companies in the world to do so and the first outside the United States to achieve this feat.

China Has Three Reusable Rockets Ready for Their Debut Flights

https://www.china-in-space.com/p/china-has-three-reusable-rockets



Because launching a rocket is expensive, attempts are being made to reduce costs by making the vehicle partially or entirely reusable. A famous example is the Falcon 9 used by SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, which is partially reusable, and its launch costs are two-thirds lower than those of other companies of the same size.

The rocket reportedly to be launched in China is the Long March 12A, manufactured by the Shanghai Academy of Aerospace Technology. Details of the rocket have yet to be released, with its first public appearance being spotted being delivered to the launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in November 2025.

The Long March 12A is a two-stage rocket powered by liquid methane and liquid oxygen. The first stage is powered by seven Longyun engines manufactured by Kyushu Yunyan, and the second stage is powered by a vacuum-optimized YF-209 engine manufactured by the Space Propulsion Technology Research Institute. It has a maximum launch capacity of 12 tons. The first stage, like the Falcon 9, is reusable and can land on four legs.

Separately, the 'Zhuque-3' rocket, developed by Landspace, has also been transported to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Like the Long March 12A, it has a two-stage structure that uses liquid methane and liquid oxygen. The first stage is equipped with two 'Tiangque-12A' engines manufactured by Blue Arrow, and the second stage is equipped with one 'Tiangque-15' engine, allowing it to launch a maximum of 11.8 tons. This rocket also has a first stage with four legs that allows it to land.

The third is Beijing Space Pioneer's Tianlong 3, which, like the other two, was delivered to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in November 2025. It uses kerosene and liquid oxygen as fuel, and has a reusable first stage equipped with nine Tianhuo-12 engines.

Of these, the one that could actually launch in 2025 is Blue Arrow's Suzaku-3, according to news site China in Space. The company has been vague about the launch date, but it is expected to launch on November 27, 2025.

For the Long March 12A and Zhuge Liuzhou 3, the landing sites for the first-stage boosters have been completed, and it appears they are aiming for a successful first-stage landing in time for their maiden flight. While it is not known which rocket will actually be launched, if either first-stage booster succeeds in landing, it would follow in the footsteps of the Falcon 9 in 2015 and Blue Origin's 'New Glenn' rocket on November 13, 2025.



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