LandSpace's Zhuque-3 First-Stage Power System Completes Successful Nine-Engine Cluster Ground Ignition Test | Xinwen NEWS

On June 20, 2025, Beijing time, LandSpace successfully completed a first-stage propulsion system static fire test of its Zhuque-3 reusable launch vehicle at Launch Complex 2 for liquid oxygen-methane rockets in the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone. The test was a complete success.

This Zhuque-3 first-stage propulsion system test marks China's largest and most automated ground hot-fire test to date, featuring a nine-engine cluster. The complexity of the test and its fidelity to actual flight conditions reached unprecedented levels. The test used a first-stage vehicle identical in technical configuration to the Zhuque-3 maiden flight mission, covering the full launch-to-liftoff ground procedure including propellant loading, tank pressurization, staged engine ignition, steady-state operation, and programmed shutdown. It verified system-wide compatibility and procedural soundness, with test conditions covering flight profiles — truly embodying the principle of "test on the ground exactly as it flies in the sky."

The propulsion system test employed LandSpace's self-developed Tianque-12A liquid oxygen-methane engines, with nine engines in parallel producing a combined thrust of 7,542 kN. The test followed the prescribed test plan precisely. At 12:00, following the ignition command, all nine engines ignited in staged sequence as scheduled, transitioned through power levels, operated steadily for 40 seconds, and completed gimbal steering tests before orderly shutdown. The test comprehensively verified compatibility among all participating systems — engines, pressurization and feed systems, structures, avionics, and launch support — as well as the soundness of the vehicle-ground launch procedure. All systems performed normally throughout the test, with accurate engine start sequencing and stable thrust output, resulting in complete mission success. This test was not only a comprehensive system rehearsal highly faithful to flight conditions, but also a powerful validation of LandSpace's integrated capabilities in liquid oxygen-methane launch vehicle propulsion system development. It marks a significant breakthrough for China in liquid rocket propulsion technologies including multi-engine synchronized ignition, multi-stage propellant distribution, and combustion stability, and lays a solid foundation for the upcoming Zhuque-3 reusable rocket maiden flight and the engineering realization of reusable launch vehicle technology in China.

As the most critical large-scale ground test in the Zhuque-3 reusable rocket development program, LandSpace strictly adhered to company quality and safety management requirements. Prior to the mission, the company organized reviews by multiple experts of the test plan and safety analysis reports, and reviewed the safety control implementation plan. Before entering the site, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center organized a specialized safety review for the LandSpace test team. After arrival, the test team and the center conducted technical briefings, discussed contingency plans, completed multiple specialized quality and safety reviews, conducted comprehensive inspections of critical products and connections, developed emergency response plans, and organized emergency response drills and safety control exercises to ensure test safety and reliability with closed-loop safety management throughout the mission.

This test used Launch Complex 2 for liquid oxygen-methane rockets in the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone, which was adapted for the Zhuque-3 first-stage propulsion system test. A dedicated test stand was added to ensure test safety, with complete capabilities for cryogenic propellant loading, fire suppression and cooling, and remote control and data acquisition. The test employed both onboard remote control and ground manual emergency shutdown methods, providing critical support for building the safety assurance system for reusable rockets.

The Zhuque-3 launch vehicle is China's first large liquid oxygen-methane rocket to use a stainless steel body structure with first-stage reusability. It has an approximate liftoff mass of 570 tons and overall length of about 66 meters. The first stage is configured with nine Tianque-12A engines operating in parallel, equipped with an auxiliary propulsion system and deployable grid fins for controlled recovery and landing. This configuration is technically complex with high integration density, presenting unprecedented challenges for ground test system adaptability.

This first-stage propulsion system test followed procedures fully aligned with maiden flight conditions, completing a highly realistic operational rehearsal. The parameter data and coordination experience accumulated will provide critical support for subsequent Zhuque-3 launch vehicle performance optimization and the engineering realization of more complex configurations. The test results will lay the groundwork for reusable rocket operational application and strongly support future diverse commercial scenarios including large constellation deployment and high-frequency, low-cost launches.

Looking ahead, Zhuque-3 will continue advancing engineering realization through systematic verification, and serving strategic capability building through engineering realization, helping China's commercial space sector enter a new phase of greater efficiency, reliability, and reusability, and laying a solid foundation for next-generation rocket engineering validation and national aerospace capability system development.

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