SpaceX vs LandSpace: Can China’s Zhuque-3 finally challenge Elon Musk’s Falcon 9?

China’s rocket startup LandSpace has stepped up its efforts to rival Elon Musk’s aerospace company SpaceX in a space battle.

Earlier this month, LandSpace achieved a key space milestone by conducting a reusable rocket test as it launched its new Zhuque-3 model, putting SpaceX on alert.

The Beijing-based firm in a recent push has eased initial public offering rules to fund its future projects and develop commercial reusable rockets.

As per new guidelines, the companies will be given access to a fast lane for IPOs on the tech-heavy STAR market and these firms will also be exempted from financial requirements.

The announcement is the latest effort on the part of China to plug a gap in its space capabilities and outshine the US in the space race.

Although the launching of the Zhuque-3 model ended in failure, the firm is determined to take on SpaceX.

According to Zhuque-3 chief designer Dai Zheng, “(SpaceX) can push products to the edge and even into failure, quickly identifying limits and iterating.”

LandSpace has been ambitious to achieve successful rocket recovery by mid-2026 with the second-time launch of the Zhuque-3 model.

Zhuque-3 vs Falcon 9

LandSpace is developing the Zhuque-3 model to provide China with a reusable and low-cost rocket similar to SpaceX’s Falcon 9. The model will boost China's plan to deploy over 10,000 satellites in the coming decades.

Zhuque-3's deputy chief designer Dong Kai said, "Falcon 9 is a successful configuration that has been tested by engineering. After studying it, we recognize its rationality; this is learning, not imitation.”

“Calling (Zhuque-3) a 'Chinese Falcon 9,' I think, is a very high compliment,” he added.

Elon Musk took note of Zhuque-3’s technological features a month before its launching.

According to Tesla’s CEO, Zhuque-3 combines the Falcon 9’s architecture with Starship’s materials, specifically using stainless steel and methalox fuel.

"They have added aspects of Starship, such as use of stainless steel and methalox, to a Falcon 9 architecture, which would enable it to beat Falcon 9. But Starship is in another league,” Musk said in October.

SpaceX achieved its first successful landing of Falcon 9 in 2015 after two failed attempts.