China advances commercial reusable launch plans with Tianlong-3 rocket test
BEIJING - China’s push to field reusable rockets took a significant step forward this week after Beijing-based start-up Space Pioneer announced it had successfully completed a full-scale ground test of its Tianlong-3 launch vehicle, Kaif Shaikh writes for Interesting Engineering. Continue reading original article.
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
18 September 2025 - China’s commercial space sector advanced this week when Beijing-based Space Pioneer announced a successful full-scale ground test of its Tianlong-3 reusable rocket. The company fired nine Tianhuo-12 engines for 35 seconds from an offshore platform in Shandong province, producing about 1,102 tons of thrust. Space Pioneer called it the rocket’s "major exam," signaling readiness for a first launch later this year.
The 72-meter-tall Tianlong-3 is a partially reusable, medium-lift vehicle capable of carrying 17 to 18 tonnes to low Earth orbit—comparable to SpaceX’s Falcon 9. The rocket, under development since 2022, is expected to launch up to 36 internet satellites per mission in support of China’s Guowang and Qianfan broadband constellations, which each plan more than 13,000 satellites but remain far behind schedule. Space Pioneer aims to fly more than 30 missions annually once operational.
Tianlong-3 faces competition from LandSpace’s Zhuque-3, targeting its first launch between September and November, and the state-owned Long March-12A, scheduled for 2025. All three follow a Falcon 9-style design with reusable first stages. Development has been difficult: Tianlong-3 accidentally launched during a 2023 static-fire test, and LandSpace’s Zhuque-2E failed on its third flight in July.
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Jamie Whitney, Senior Editor
Military + Aerospace Electronics
