China's private launch firm LandSpace failed to complete a crucial recovery test on Wednesday, after its next-generation Zhuque-3 rocket was unable to execute a controlled landing following liftoff from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

State media said an "abnormal combustion event" during descent prevented the booster from touching down on its recovery pad. Engineers are now analyzing the cause, and LandSpace said it will use flight data to refine future attempts.

The failed recovery highlights the steep technical challenge China faces as it tries to develop a reusable orbital rocket, a capability that, so far, only SpaceX and Blue Origin have demonstrated. LandSpace hopes Zhuque-3 will eventually become China's answer to SpaceX's Falcon 9, promising reuse of up to 20 flights and the ability to lift 18 tonnes of payload.

Despite the setback, Zhuque-3's flight puts LandSpace ahead of domestic rivals such as iSpace and Galactic Energy, marking the closest a Chinese company has come to fielding a Falcon-class reusable booster.

Reusable rocketry remains a high barrier to entry. Only SpaceX has mastered the precision engine burns and split-second timing needed to routinely land boosters, giving it a near-monopoly on medium- and heavy-lift launches after years of refinement.