China achieved a major milestone in its space program as it successfully landed the first stage of a Long March-10B rocket following a launch on Friday. The official Xinhua News Agency reported that the first stage separated from the second stage after liftoff and returned to a platform in the sea, marking the first instance of China recovering a rocket’s first stage.
This achievement puts China in the league of space entities like SpaceX and Blue Origin, which have been recycling their rockets to reduce launch costs. SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has landed over 600 first-stage Falcon boosters, setting new records with each successful landing. Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, has also been recovering its boosters for cost-saving purposes.
SpaceX is now focusing on capturing returning rockets with giant mechanical arms at the launch pad, particularly for its Starship flights out of Texas and Florida. Blue Origin has been landing its boosters in Texas and off the coast of Florida, while Japan is gearing up for its own launch and landing attempts in the near future.
The Long March rocket, launched from Hainan Island, has a reusable configuration capable of launching payloads of up to 16,000 kilograms into low Earth orbit (LEO). In comparison, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 can carry 22,800 kilograms to LEO, while the Falcon Heavy has a maximum capacity of 63,800 kilograms. Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket can launch payloads of up to 45,000 kilograms.
Rocket Lab USA, a smaller launch company, made headlines in 2022 by successfully capturing its first-stage rocket with a helicopter before dropping it into the ocean, showcasing innovations in the space industry.
