China lands reusable rocket for first time, state media says
Summary
China successfully landed and recovered a reusable rocket booster for the first time, a major step forward in its space program. The Long March 10B rocket booster landed vertically on a floating platform about six minutes after launch from Hainan, southern China.Key Facts
- The Long March 10B rocket launched from Hainan, China, at 12:15 local time.
- About six minutes after separating from the upper stage, the booster landed vertically on a floating platform.
- This is China’s first successful landing of a reusable rocket booster.
- Reusable boosters help reduce the cost of space launches by allowing important parts to be used multiple times.
- The Long March 10B can carry a payload of at least 16 metric tons to low-Earth orbit.
- Instead of landing on a ground pad or drone ship like SpaceX’s Falcon 9, the Long March 10B uses landing hooks to catch a net on a floating platform.
- China’s earlier attempt in February 2024 with the Long March 10A resulted in a controlled splashdown near a recovery platform.
- Shares in Chinese space companies rose sharply after the news, hitting the daily allowed limit increase.
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