China's 1st reusable rocket explodes in dramatic fireball during landing after reaching orbit on debut flight

The first test flight of Landspace's Zhuque-3 rocket ended in a fiery explosion after successfully reaching orbit.

Chinese company Landspace launched its 216-foot (66-meter) stainless steel Zhuque-3 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert in northern China on Tuesday (Dec. 2). The reusable, methane-liquid-oxygen-powered rocket successfully placed its expendable second stage in orbit, according to a statement from Landspace.

But after making a successful reentry, the rocket's first stage booster appeared to lose an engine during its landing burn and catch fire before crashing into the ground in a spectacular explosion. "An anomaly occurred as the first stage approached the designated recovery zone. No personnel safety issues occurred," Landspace wrote on social