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
View from the pad tower: x.com/thebestkirin...
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
LOL @djiglobal.bsky.social is using this launch to advertise their latest UAV... m.weibo.cn/detail/52398...
The planned launch timeline, now official: x.com/LandSpace_Te...
December 3, 2025 at 1:46 PM
The planned launch timeline, now official: x.com/LandSpace_Te...
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
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.
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
Almost feels like the whole A-Team of rocket photographers across China are in Jiuquan SLC for this launch: m.weibo.cn/detail/52397...
9 methane/LOX powered gas-generator cycle TQ-12A engines thrusting this stainless steel rocket towards orbit:
December 3, 2025 at 7:34 AM
9 methane/LOX powered gas-generator cycle TQ-12A engines thrusting this stainless steel rocket towards orbit:
ZQ-3 liftoff time sequence from m.weibo.cn/detail/52397... :
December 3, 2025 at 7:34 AM
ZQ-3 liftoff time sequence from m.weibo.cn/detail/52397... :
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 from SpaceLens, which got excellent front seats for their cameras: m.weibo.cn/detail/52397...
More photos:
December 3, 2025 at 7:05 AM
More photos:
Pre-launch processing and testing of the first ZQ-3 flight vehicle:
December 3, 2025 at 6:58 AM
Pre-launch processing and testing of the first ZQ-3 flight vehicle:
ZQ-3 pre-launch:
December 3, 2025 at 6:50 AM
ZQ-3 pre-launch:
And finally, pad cameras from LandSpace!
m.weibo.cn/detail/52397...
m.weibo.cn/detail/52397...
December 3, 2025 at 6:49 AM
And finally, pad cameras from LandSpace!
m.weibo.cn/detail/52397...
m.weibo.cn/detail/52397...
First official launch photos:
December 3, 2025 at 6:17 AM
First official launch photos:
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...
Meanwhile here's the launch from another spectator's angle: m.weibo.cn/detail/52397...
December 3, 2025 at 6:02 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...
Meanwhile here's the launch from another spectator's angle: m.weibo.cn/detail/52397...
...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...
m.weibo.cn/detail/52397...
December 3, 2025 at 5:27 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...
m.weibo.cn/detail/52397...
Low-res drone view of the ZQ-3 launching:
December 3, 2025 at 5:27 AM
Low-res drone view of the ZQ-3 launching:
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.
@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
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.
@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.
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!
Blue Origin. They came so close to equalize out of freaking nowhere!
December 3, 2025 at 4:26 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!
Blue Origin. They came so close to equalize out of freaking nowhere!
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.
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
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.
From a company that has launched just 7 times before since 2018 and touched orbit 4 times.
Extraordinary.
HOLY CRAP THEY AT LEAST HAVE BEATEN NEW GLENN ON FLIGHT 1!
December 3, 2025 at 4:17 AM
HOLY CRAP THEY AT LEAST HAVE BEATEN NEW GLENN ON FLIGHT 1!
Well...apparently no landing of booster today. But they apparently got pretty close!
December 3, 2025 at 4:12 AM
Well...apparently no landing of booster today. But they apparently got pretty close!
December 3, 2025 at 4:05 AM