Yixian-3 VTVL Rocket Test Success: China's First University-Led Symmetric Reusable Liquid Rocket
Summary: On the afternoon of May 14, 2026, the team led by Professor Wu Zhigang from the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Sun Yat-sen University successfully completed a low-altitude Vertical Takeoff and Vertical Landing (VTVL) test of the Yixian-3 reusable liquid rocket on Hailing Island, Yangjiang, Guangdong Province. Standing 4.5 meters tall with a 0.6-meter diameter and weighing approximately 1 ton, the rocket completed a precise 30-second flight sequence including liftoff, hover, attitude adjustment, and靶心 (target) landing. This was China's first university-led symmetric reusable liquid rocket, marking a breakthrough in second-stage recovery technology.
Sources (original pages)
- IT Home: China's First University-Led Symmetric Reusable Liquid Rocket Platform Flight Test Succeeds
- DoNews: Sun Yat-sen University Successfully Tests China's First University-Developed VTVL Liquid Rocket
- East Money: China's First University-Led Symmetric Reusable Liquid Rocket Platform Flight Test Succeeds