China announced on July 10 that it had successfully recovered an orbital-class rocket booster for the first time, marking a major milestone in its effort to develop reusable launch vehicle technology. According to state media, the booster from a Long March-10B launch vehicle separated from the upper stage about six minutes after liftoff, executed a controlled vertical descent, and was successfully captured by a recovery net mounted on an offshore platform. Chinese officials described the test as a major technological breakthrough.
Beijing has identified reusable rocket technology as a national priority and has relaxed financing rules to support the country’s commercial space sector. The technology is considered essential for reducing launch costs and enabling the rapid deployment of China’s planned satellite constellations, which are widely viewed as potential competitors to SpaceX’s Starlink network. The Long March-10B is also part of China’s crewed lunar program, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030.
Despite this milestone, China still trails the United States by a considerable margin in reusable launch capabilities. SpaceX has completed hundreds of successful booster recoveries and routinely reuses boosters at a rapid operational pace, while China has achieved only its first successful recovery and plans just a limited number of reuse demonstrations this year. How quickly China closes this technological gap is likely to influence the next phase of U.S.-China competition in space, as Beijing seeks to challenge U.S. leadership in the sector.
Source: VOA, July 11, 2026
https://www.voachinese.com/a/china-claims-milestone-in-reusable-rockets-but-wide-gap-with-spacex-remains-20260701-/8170387.html