Chinese Startup’s Reusable Rocket Crash-Lands After Launch

A partially reusable Chinese rocket crash-landed after launch, according to state media, illustrating the challenges the country faces as it chases the technology mastered by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

The Zhuque-3 took off from the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Test Zone launch site in northwest China on Wednesday, according to Xinhua. But an “abnormal burn” occurred, meaning the first stage of the rocket was unable to achieve a soft landing on the recovery site, according to Beijing-based startup LandSpace Technology Corp., which helmed China’s attempt to recover a first-stage booster.