Zhuque-3 Flight 2: Launch Time & How to Watch (31 August 2026)

What is Zhuque-3?

Zhuque-3 is a two-stage, reusable, stainless-steel medium-lift rocket built by Chinese private launch company LandSpace, designed to land its first stage vertically for reflight. Its second flight, Flight 2, is scheduled for 31 August 2026 at 00:00 UTC from Launch Area 96B at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the People's Republic of China.

The mission is currently listed with a TBD status, meaning the date and time may shift as LandSpace and range officials finalize preparations. The core query is answered up front: a LandSpace Zhuque-3 rocket is set to fly from Jiuquan on the last day of August 2026.

When is the launch?

The launch is targeted for 31 August 2026 at 00:00 UTC. Converting to local zones, that is 08:00 China Standard Time on 31 August, and 20:00 U.S. Eastern Time on 30 August. Because the launch is marked TBD, confirm the window close to the day on Cosmik's rocket launch schedule.

What is the payload?

Specific payload details for Zhuque-3 Flight 2 have not been publicly confirmed in the mission data. Zhuque-3 is engineered as a medium-lift workhorse aimed at deploying batches of satellites to low Earth orbit, supporting China's growing commercial and constellation launch demand. As payload manifest details are released, they will appear on Cosmik's latest launch news feed.

Why Zhuque-3 matters

LandSpace made history in 2023 when its Zhuque-2 became the first liquid methane–liquid oxygen (methalox) rocket to reach orbit, beating both SpaceX and Blue Origin to that milestone. Zhuque-3 extends that methalox heritage into a larger, reusable vehicle featuring a stainless-steel airframe and a design philosophy comparable to SpaceX's Falcon 9 booster recovery approach.

Where is it launching from?

Zhuque-3 lifts off from Launch Area 96B at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, located in the Gobi Desert in northwestern China. Jiuquan is China's oldest and most active launch complex, having served crewed Shenzhou missions and a large share of the country's commercial launches. Its inland location supports a range of orbital inclinations for satellite deployment.

How to watch live

Chinese commercial launches from Jiuquan are not always carried on a live public webcast, and coverage from LandSpace is typically confirmed shortly before liftoff. If a stream is made available, links will be posted alongside the countdown. In the meantime, you can:

• Follow the real-time countdown and status on Cosmik's launch tracker.
• Watch the rocket and its deployed satellites on the live 3D solar-system and satellite map once in orbit.
• Enable free launch alerts so a shifting TBD window does not catch you off guard.

Is this launch reusable?

Zhuque-3 is designed to recover and reflight its first stage via a vertical propulsive landing, a capability LandSpace has been demonstrating through a series of hop and vertical takeoff–vertical landing tests. Flight 2 is an early operational mission in the vehicle's program, following the debut flight, so recovery objectives for this specific mission will be confirmed by LandSpace closer to launch.

How reusable rockets change the economics

Reusable first stages cut per-launch costs by recovering the most expensive hardware. This is central to LandSpace's ambition to compete for high-cadence constellation deployment, mirroring the model that made the Falcon 9 the world's most-flown orbital rocket. Track how China's private launch sector is scaling on Cosmik's news page.

Launch data source

Timing and mission details are drawn from public launch databases, including The Space Devs Launch Library. Because this launch carries a TBD status, always verify the latest window before viewing.

Follow Zhuque-3 Flight 2 live on Cosmik, watch the deployed satellites appear on the 3D map, and turn on free launch alerts so you never miss liftoff — even if the date slips. Explore the full launch schedule to see what else is flying this week.