Galactic Energy’s Pallas-1 makes its maiden flight in September 2026 without an attempt to recover its first stage. As of September 25, China had not yet flown a recovered booster a second time. The distinction matters: bringing a booster back is one milestone; flying it again is another.
Pallas-1 makes its debut without a recovery attempt
Pallas-1’s first flight does not include a recovery attempt. It marks the rocket’s maiden flight, not a demonstration of booster recovery or reuse.
LandSpace reports a land recovery for ZhuQue-3 Y2
On August 19, 2026, LandSpace reported that the first stage of its ZhuQue-3 Y2 booster had been recovered on land using landing legs. The company describes ZhuQue-3 as a liquid-oxygen-and-methane rocket with a stainless-steel structure and recovery systems integrated into its design.
Recovery is not the same as reuse
A recovered booster has returned from flight; reuse means flying that recovered stage again. In the status reported as of September 25, China had not yet reflown a recovered booster. SpaceX, by then, had reused boosters hundreds of times.
That makes a second flight the practical test of reusable-launch progress. A successful landing is important, but it does not by itself show that a booster has returned to service.
Several Chinese programs are pursuing different milestones
The reported recovery efforts involve separate vehicles and approaches. A test involving the Long March 10 family reportedly recovered a first stage at sea earlier in 2026. LandSpace’s ZhuQue-3 Y2, by contrast, was recovered on land using landing legs. Galactic Energy’s Pallas-1 made its first flight without attempting recovery.
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation is developing Long March 9 with a reusable first stage planned and a reusable second stage envisioned as a longer-term goal.
