SpaceX has been efficiently touchdown the primary stage of its Falcon 9 rocket for the final decade. Doing so permits SpaceX to make use of a single booster for a number of missions, enabling it to slash launch prices and improve launch frequency.

Few different corporations have made any actual effort to emulate SpaceX’s feat with a first-stage booster, although Blue Origin simply final month scored a primary when it landed the main stage of its New Glenn rocket on its second attempt following a failed try in the beginning of the yr.

New Zealand’s Rocket Lab is taking a unique strategy to booster restoration, creating a system that deploys parachutes on a descending booster to gradual it down, earlier than snagging the parachute line with a helicopter utilizing a grappling hook after which flying it again to land. It’s yet to achieve the feat.

And now Chinese language spaceflight agency LandSpace is having a go, though as you possibly can see within the video beneath, its first try at touchdown the principle stage of its new Zhuque-3 rocket led to failure this week when the booster slammed into the bottom at excessive pace.

The Zhuque-3 was on its maiden orbital check flight from Jiuquan in northwest China, and whereas the rocket efficiently reached orbit, the booster touchdown didn’t work out.

“An anomaly occurred after the first-stage engine ignited through the touchdown section, stopping a delicate touchdown on the designated restoration pad,” LandSpace stated in a extensively reported assertion. “The particles landed on the fringe of the restoration space, leading to a failed restoration check.”

The staff is now conducting a radical overview of what occurred and can make adjustments to the system earlier than making an attempt once more.

Whereas disappointing for LandSpace, mishaps in spaceflight improvement are commonplace. SpaceX suffered many failed landings with its Falcon 9 booster earlier than nailing it, and little question LandSpace will obtain the identical feat earlier than too lengthy.

On a a lot larger scale, SpaceX can be engaged on the touchdown course of for its huge Starship rocket, which remains to be present process testing. On a number of of its check flights thus far, the corporate has managed to carry dwelling the Starship’s first-stage Tremendous Heavy booster by securing it simply above the bottom utilizing two giant mechanical arms. When you’ve by no means witnessed it, the impressive maneuver is definitely worth a look.