Cosmic Penguin
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cosmicpenguinov103.bsky.social
Cosmic Penguin
@cosmicpenguinov103.bsky.social
Astronomy & spaceflight weeb penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Starship x Space Launch System shipper. Chinese spaceflight news hunter.
View from the pad tower: x.com/thebestkirin...
December 3, 2025 at 11:33 PM
LOL @djiglobal.bsky.social is using this launch to advertise their latest UAV... m.weibo.cn/detail/52398...
December 3, 2025 at 2:18 PM
The planned launch timeline, now official: x.com/LandSpace_Te...
December 3, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Mission overview from LandSpace - some sharp-eyed Chinese spaceflight fan noticed the blurred out velocity-altitude diagram and has some interesting observations on the booster recovery trajectory, which I'm going to translate soon.
December 3, 2025 at 1:20 PM
December 3, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Almost feels like the whole A-Team of rocket photographers across China are in Jiuquan SLC for this launch: m.weibo.cn/detail/52397...
December 3, 2025 at 7:44 AM
9 methane/LOX powered gas-generator cycle TQ-12A engines thrusting this stainless steel rocket towards orbit:
December 3, 2025 at 7:34 AM
ZQ-3 liftoff time sequence from m.weibo.cn/detail/52397... :
December 3, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Ignition:
December 3, 2025 at 7:29 AM
More photos from SpaceLens, which got excellent front seats for their cameras: m.weibo.cn/detail/52397...
December 3, 2025 at 7:29 AM
More photos:
December 3, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Pre-launch processing and testing of the first ZQ-3 flight vehicle:
December 3, 2025 at 6:58 AM
ZQ-3 pre-launch:
December 3, 2025 at 6:50 AM
And finally, pad cameras from LandSpace!
m.weibo.cn/detail/52397...
December 3, 2025 at 6:49 AM
First official launch photos:
December 3, 2025 at 6:17 AM
State media has confirmed the outcomes as posted above (m.weibo.cn/detail/52397...), though LandSpace themselves still hasn't posted their official update.

Meanwhile here's the launch from another spectator's angle: m.weibo.cn/detail/52397...
December 3, 2025 at 6:02 AM
...and the video you all are waiting for: birds-eye view of the ZQ-3 first stage's botched landing burn. It was *that* close you know, getting further than the first New Glenn booster did and around where SpaceX were for Falcon 9 in late 2014-early 2015!
m.weibo.cn/detail/52397...
December 3, 2025 at 5:27 AM
Low-res drone view of the ZQ-3 launching:
December 3, 2025 at 5:27 AM
I really think the likes of
@rookisaacman,
@davill,
@Peter_J_Beck,
@ericschmidt,
@Jason_Lil_Kim,
@AndyLapsa, even
@elonmusk really needs to think about what this launch from a little known Chinese company means to rockets.
Sometimes, the biggest rival might be somewhere else.
December 3, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Suddenly this little known private Chinese company from Beijing, formed just a decade ago, may have gave the most powerful punch on rocket reusability & medium class LV development to even the likes of
Blue Origin. They came so close to equalize out of freaking nowhere!
December 3, 2025 at 4:26 AM
And even more importantly...apparently ZQ-3 has reached orbit on the first try! Even in this nerfed initial configuration, this is almost close to a Neutron class rocket!

From a company that has launched just 7 times before since 2018 and touched orbit 4 times.

Extraordinary.
December 3, 2025 at 4:20 AM
HOLY CRAP THEY AT LEAST HAVE BEATEN NEW GLENN ON FLIGHT 1!
December 3, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Well...apparently no landing of booster today. But they apparently got pretty close!
December 3, 2025 at 4:12 AM
December 3, 2025 at 4:09 AM
December 3, 2025 at 4:05 AM