China lands booster of an orbital rocket on a sea platform for the first time

The Long March 10B is a smaller variant of the planned Long March 10 and, according to Chinese sources, is around 70 meters tall and about 5 meters wide. The rocket flies without side boosters and, according to Xinhua, can transport up to 16 tons of cargo into low Earth orbit (LEO).

With the successful recovery of the first stage, China is drawing closer to the USA, where Elon Musk's US company SpaceX has been using the principle of reusable boosters industrially for years. However, according to the report, China is pursuing its own path: The recovery method is not directly based on the procedures developed by SpaceX, but relies on the novel sea net.

Race with the USA

Reusable rockets are considered the key in the space industry to significantly reduce costs per launch. According to industry observers, this makes large satellite constellations, deep space missions, and manned moon landings economically viable in the first place.

The success triggered a broad debate on Chinese social media. Reactions ranged from admiration to speculation about intensified competition with the USA in space. One user summed up the mood in a frequently quoted comment.

Significance for the space industry

The success is accompanied by growing optimism in the satellite sector. According to the report, commercial demand for internet constellations from space continues to rise, further fueling the search for reusable launch systems.

The maiden flight of the Long March 10B is also a test run for the larger Long March 10 model, which is prospectively also to be used for Chinese moon missions. The 10B serves as a technical precursor and is intended to provide experience for the later, more powerful variant.

Outlook

With regard to international competition, observers classify the success as a signal to the USA that China is catching up technologically in the field of reusable launch systems. The combination of in-house development and state industrial policy is regarded as a central factor.

It remains unclear for now when the Long March 10B is to enter regular operational service. Official information on the schedule and payload profiles for upcoming flights has not yet been published.