China achieves first-ever controlled rocket recovery

China has achieved a significant milestone in its space program by successfully testing an experimental rocket retrieval system. Using a net attached to a sea platform, the country aims to break the US dominance in reusable rocket technology. The Long March 10B rocket's booster was recovered offshore about six minutes after separating from the upper stage during its Friday launch from the Hainan commercial space launch site.

This successful retrieval marks China's first recovery of an orbital-class rocket booster, bringing the nation closer to developing reusable rockets. Shares in Chinese aerospace firms saw a jump following the news, with China Spacesat and China Satellite Communications reaching their daily limits. The Long March 10B is comparable to SpaceX's Falcon 9, a widely used medium-lift rocket.

Developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology for commercial aerospace, the Long March 10B can carry a payload of at least 16 metric tons to low-Earth orbit. Unlike SpaceX's Falcon 9, which lands autonomously on deployable legs, the Long March 10B utilizes "landing hooks" to catch a net. SpaceX first landed a Falcon 9 from an orbital flight in December 2015, and Blue Origin's New Glenn followed in November 2025.

China has invested nearly a decade in reusable rocket technologies, progressing from early hover tests to recent orbital-class booster recovery attempts. A reusable rocket system is expected to reduce launch costs for China's expanding commercial satellite constellations. This achievement also provides valuable data and validates technologies for the Long March 10 family, which is being developed for China's crewed lunar missions before 2030. China plans to reuse the Long March 10's booster stage for another launch by the end of this year.

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The test marks China's first successful retrieval of an orbital-class rocket, putting the country closer to developing reusable rockets.