LandSpace's Zhuque-2E suffered an in-flight failure after a voltage issue

On 15 August 2025, LandSpace's improved Zhuque-2E launch vehicle failed during an orbital launch attempt, losing the four satellites it was carrying. The improved methane-fuelled rocket was meant to extend the company's record after earlier Zhuque-2 successes.

The failure was caused by a voltage issue affecting the second stage, which prevented the vehicle from completing its mission. LandSpace later disclosed the cause in its investigation.

As China's first private company to reach orbit with a methane rocket, LandSpace had positioned Zhuque-2E as the upgraded workhorse of its reusable-rocket ambitions. The in-flight failure was a setback for that commercial trajectory.

The company opened an investigation and set out to correct the fault before the next launch, but the four satellites and the flight were already lost.