From Zhuque-3 to Gravity-2: How Far Has the "Core Stage Recovery" of Commercial Rockets Come?

Domestic private commercial rocket launch schedules continue to be updated.

According to exclusive reports from the “Science and Technology Innovation Board Daily,” China’s leading commercial space rocket company, Dongfang Space, is developing the “Gravity No. 2,” a medium-to-large liquid reusable launch vehicle, which is expected to have its maiden flight by mid-2026.

Additionally, Dongfang Space confirmed to the “Science and Technology Innovation Board Daily” that this rocket, designed for large-scale satellite networking and commercial high-orbit launches, features an innovative core stage recovery design.

The so-called “core stage recovery” is not a new concept. In the context of launch vehicle engineering, it generally refers to the design that allows the first stage—responsible for providing the main thrust, structural load, and fuel consumption—to return and be reused.

In China, this technology path has previously been tested in actual flight by some commercial aerospace companies. For example, LandSpace’s liquid oxygen-methane Zhuque-3 rocket has conducted in-flight tests of first-stage recovery during its maiden mission. Although successful recovery has not yet been achieved, related engineering validation has already begun.

Building on this, Dongfang Space’s “Gravity No. 2” introduces core stage recovery in a medium-to-large liquid launch vehicle. Its significance is twofold: firstly, it marks a key technological upgrade for the company from solid rockets to liquid, reusable rockets; secondly, it also indicates that China’s commercial space sector is beginning to explore whether core stage recovery is feasible from an engineering and cost perspective under larger payload capacities and more complex mission requirements.

It is understood that the core stage recovery technology of “Gravity No. 2” is not a simple copy but a customized innovation based on commercial space needs. First, structural reuse strength is achieved by using lightweight, high-strength alloy materials and modular design, enabling the rocket body to be reused at least 30 times. Second, rapid turnaround capability is supported by the pulsating final assembly line at the Taian production base in Shandong and remote distributed final testing technology, allowing the recovered core stage to be quickly inspected, maintained within 48 hours, and ready for the next launch, supporting a high-frequency launch schedule of “one rocket per week.”

Why is core stage recovery so important? Due to the recent large-scale deployment of low Earth orbit communication satellite constellations, there is an urgent demand for mass satellite launches. Reusable rockets are better suited for this high-density launch scenario.

In terms of cost, engines and the rocket structure account for the majority of manufacturing expenses. Reuse and recovery can significantly reduce the cost per launch. SpaceX’s practice has proven that by recovering and reusing the Falcon 9 rocket, the cost of each launch has been reduced by approximately 20-30%.

On the international stage, SpaceX is the leader in this field, with its Falcon 9 rocket having achieved over 200 recoveries and more than 180 re-flights, turning recovery from an “experiment” into a “routine operation.” Blue Origin’s New Shepard suborbital rocket has also successfully recovered multiple times, and its New Glenn orbital rocket aims for recovery and reuse as well. Additionally, Europe, Russia, India, and others are also advancing related plans.

China is accelerating its efforts to catch up in the field of reusable rockets.

In the “national team,” China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation have both begun developing reusable launch vehicles and announced plans for some models.

In the commercial space sector, besides Dongfang Space, companies like LandSpace and Galaxy Space have also prioritized developing reusable rockets, forming a pattern of joint efforts between the “national team” and private enterprises.

At the 2026 Beijing International Commercial Space Forum, Li Jun, chief engineer of Galaxy Space, revealed that the Galaxy Space liquid recovery rocket Zhishenxing No. 2 is expected to have its first flight in 2026. Zhishenxing No. 2 is a large, modular, reusable liquid launch vehicle with a diameter of 4.5 meters, including two configurations: the basic model and CBC. The basic model has a takeoff mass of about 757 tons, a thrust of approximately 910 tons, and a LEO payload capacity of 20 tons; the CBC configuration has a takeoff mass of about 1950 tons, a thrust of approximately 2730 tons, and a LEO payload capacity of 58 tons.

However, core stage recovery is not without challenges. An engineer in the commercial space field analyzed to the “Science and Technology Innovation Board Daily” that in terms of technical reliability, rocket recovery places extremely high demands on guidance and control, engine thrust regulation, and structural strength. The costs of post-recovery inspection, maintenance, and refurbishment must be strictly controlled to achieve true “cost-effectiveness.” Some high-value payload customers still have concerns about the safety of reusable rockets, requiring time and successful records to build trust.

Overall, the understanding of “core stage recovery” among domestic commercial space companies is beginning to diverge.

One group of companies views core stage recovery primarily as a prerequisite for supporting high-frequency launches to near-Earth orbit, with the core goal of improving turnaround efficiency and lowering marginal costs per launch. Another group is more focused on whether recovery mechanisms remain economically viable across larger payload ranges and more complex mission scenarios.

The “Gravity No. 2” exemplifies the latter approach. For Dongfang Space, the core stage recovery of Gravity No. 2 is more like a critical capability upgrade in a product generation leap. It not only signifies the company’s transition from solid rockets into the technical deep water of liquid, reusable launch vehicles but also determines whether it can form a sustainable competitive portfolio in the mid-to-large commercial launch market, balancing payload capacity, cost structure, and mission adaptability.

(Source: Caixin)