China is on the verge of launching its own Falcon 9 and Starship rival, a powerful rocket known as Zhuque-3. Its potential has impressed many across the world, and even Elon Musk himself has acknowledged its remarkable capabilities.
But despite that recognition, Elon Musk remains completely confident in SpaceX’s ultimate victory.
His confidence lies in one powerful name: Starship, the colossal rocket that represents the future of humanity’s journey beyond Earth.
So, what exactly did Elon Musk say about Zhuque-3?
Why is this Chinese rocket being praised so highly?
And most importantly, why does Elon Musk believe it still cannot surpass SpaceX?
Let’s dive into the details and uncover the full story in today’s exciting episode of Great SpaceX.
It can be said that China is building a stronger competitive position in the space race than any previous challenger to the United States.
That competition has become more intense in recent years, especially with the rise of private aerospace startups adopting a strategy often described as “copy and improve.”
Among all the companies being emulated, SpaceX stands at the top of the list.
Its groundbreaking rockets, Falcon 9 and Starship, have set a new global standard for innovation and reusability.
And now, China appears ready to combine the best features of both rockets into a single vehicle known as Zhuque-3.
Zhuque, which means “Vermilion Bird,” is a rocket family developed by the Chinese private aerospace company Landspace.
This company has already built and flown Zhuque-1 and Zhuque-2. Of the two, Zhuque-2 made headlines when it became the first methane-fueled rocket in the world to reach orbit and successfully deploy payloads, marking a major achievement for China’s private space industry.
Building upon that milestone, Landspace has now set its sights on the next evolution - a reusable, stainless-steel rocket designed to rival SpaceX’s most advanced designs.
Chapters
00:00: Intro
00:54: Elon Musk’s admission on Zhuque-3
06:52: Why can Zhuque-3 not beat SpaceX?
