Lihong No. 3 orbital reusable spacecraft is scheduled to make its maiden flight in 2028.

According to Science and Technology Daily, Wang Yingcheng, Executive Vice President of the China Aerospace Innovation Research Institute, revealed on May 22 that the company is developing the reusable orbital spacecraft "Lihong-3", which is planned to make its maiden flight in 2028. It is reported that Lihong-3 is mainly used for long-term scientific experiments and space manufacturing tasks in orbit. It has the ability to stay in orbit for a long time, with flexible operation time in orbit, and can provide a continuous microgravity environment for at least 300 kg of payload. The spacecraft is equipped with standardized interfaces, providing stable test conditions, and can support multiple scientific experiments and in-orbit manufacturing tasks simultaneously. Wang Yingcheng also revealed that the reusable carrier "Lihong-2", mainly for space experiments and space tourism, is currently in the engineering development stage, with plans to make its maiden flight by the end of this year and achieve recovery at the level of 100 kilometers.