China successfully launches, retrieves reusable rocket booster at sea

The Long March 10B's first stage made a vertical landing on an offshore platform, making China the second country after the US to achieve the feat

China successfully landed an orbital-class reusable booster at sea for the first time, making it the second nation to achieve the technological milestone following the US. 

 

On Friday, China launched the Long March 10B carrier rocket in the southern province of Hainan, and the first stage made a vertical return and was captured by a net on an offshore recovery platform, according to a report by official broadcaster CCTV. 

 

The breakthrough triggered an immediate rally in Chinese space stocks, with shares of major space firms like China Spacesat Co. hitting their maximum daily 10% trading limits.

 

The net-based recovery system means China has adopted a different capture system compared to the US. It marks a “historic breakthrough” in reusable rocket technology, CCTV said. China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., the designer of the rocket, also becomes the third company to master the technology following SpaceX and Blue Origin.

 

 

The research team will make further optimization and planning to achieve the reuse of the first stage by the end of this year, according to CCTV.