China Launches First Reusable Rocket and Catches Booster

(WENCHANG, CHINA) – China has successfully launched and landed a reusable carrier rocket for the first time, marking a significant advance in the country’s space programme and its ability to compete in the growing market for lower cost launch services. The Long March 10B lifted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in the southern province of Hainan on Friday.

During the mission, the rocket delivered a payload to its designated orbit. After separation from the second stage, the first stage returned to Earth and was caught on a sea platform using a net capture system. Both the launch and the controlled return of the first stage were completed successfully, according to the state news agency Xinhua.

The mission represents China’s first successful controlled return of a carrier rocket first stage. Officials described it as a major breakthrough in reusable launch technology for the country. The ability to recover and reuse the most expensive part of a rocket has the potential to reduce launch costs sharply and increase the frequency of space missions.

The Long March 10B is a reusable commercial liquid fuelled rocket. It measures approximately 63 metres in length with a diameter of 5 metres. Takeoff thrust is about 890 tonnes and the total takeoff mass is roughly 760 tonnes. In its reusable configuration, the rocket can deliver 16 tonnes to low Earth orbit, a payload capacity that places it among the more capable launchers in the global market.

Reusable rocket technology has been most prominently developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which has operated its Falcon 9 rocket with a reusable first stage since 2017. Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin also achieved its first successful first stage landing with the New Glenn rocket in November last year. China’s entry into this field signals that the technology is becoming a standard requirement for competitive space launch operations.

The successful test strengthens China’s position in the commercial launch sector, where it already offers a range of rockets for domestic and international customers. Lowering costs through reusability could help China attract more foreign satellite operators and expand its share of the global space economy. The development also supports Beijing’s broader ambitions in space, which include plans for a lunar research station and deep space exploration.