China lands reusable Long March-10B rocket stage at sea
Why it matters: Reusing the costly first stage could cut launch expenses and support China's planned crewed Moon missions.
China recovered a reusable rocket stage for the first time on Friday, advancing a push to lower launch costs and build capacity for future Moon missions. The China National Space Administration said a Long March-10B lifted off from Hainan at 12:15 p.m., placed a satellite into orbit, and then returned its first stage to a seaborne platform using a net-capture system. State broadcaster CCTV showed the booster descending and settling onto the platform. The agency called it China's first controlled recovery of a carrier rocket's first stage and the world's first at-sea net-based rocket recovery. Unlike SpaceX's Falcon 9, the Long March-10B does not use landing legs, a design China says can reduce weight and increase payload capacity.