Chinese ZQ-3 Rocket Uncontrolled Reentry Over Europe (2026)
An 11-ton LandSpace ZQ-3 second stage made an uncontrolled reentry over Europe in early 2026, continuing China's criticized practice of leaving large rocket stages to decay naturally rather than performing controlled deorbits.
In early 2026, the second stage of a LandSpace Zhuque-3 (ZQ-3) rocket — an 11-ton, 12-meter booster designated ZQ-3 R/B — made an uncontrolled reentry over Europe. Rather than performing a controlled deorbit to a designated ocean area (standard practice), the stage was left in orbit to decay naturally over approximately two months. This is considered irresponsible space debris management. Standard practice for large rocket stages is controlled deorbit burns that target unpopulated ocean areas (typically the South Pacific Ocean Uninhabited Area). China has been repeatedly criticized by the international space community for this practice across multiple missions. The reentry likely resulted in an uneventful ocean splashdown with no confirmed damage, but the risk of large metal debris surviving reentry and impacting populated areas remains a genuine concern with uncontrolled deorbits of this size.