Chinese company Landspace’s first test flight of its Zhuque-3 rocket successfully reached orbit but ended with the first stage exploding during reentry.

Launched on December 2 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the 66-meter reusable rocket placed its expendable second stage into orbit before its first-stage booster lost an engine during landing, caught fire, and crashed.

Despite the fiery failure, Landspace called the flight a success, noting that key objectives—including testing the recovery system, engine throttling, and attitude control—were achieved.

Zhuque-3, powered by nine methane-liquid-oxygen engines, is similar in design and payload capacity to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 but uses methalox fuel rather than kerosene, Space.com has reported.

This flight follows Landspace’s Zhuque-2, which became the world’s first methane-powered rocket to reach orbit in July 2023.