China achieved a milestone in its space program as it successfully landed the first stage of a rocket following a launch on Friday. The Long March-10B rocket’s first stage separated from the second stage after liftoff and returned to a platform in the sea, as reported by the official Xinhua News Agency. This marks the first instance of China recovering the first stage of a rocket, a feat previously accomplished by companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin to reduce launch costs through booster reusability.
SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, and Blue Origin, led by Jeff Bezos, have been at the forefront of rocket recovery efforts since 2015, with SpaceX conducting over 600 successful landings of its first-stage Falcon boosters. SpaceX has set new records, including a recent 36th successful booster launch. The company is also developing methods to capture returning rockets using giant mechanical arms at the launch pad for its Starship rockets.
Blue Origin initially landed its New Shepard boosters in Texas and later its larger New Glenn boosters on a floating platform off the coast of Florida. With China now entering the realm of rocket recycling, Japan is preparing for its own launch and landing attempts soon. The Long March rocket, launched from Hainan Island in China, is capable of launching payloads of up to 16,000 kilograms into low Earth orbit, according to Xinhua.
Comparatively, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 can carry up to 22,800 kilograms to low Earth orbit, while the Falcon Heavy has a capacity of 63,800 kilograms. Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket can launch payloads of up to 45,000 kilograms. Additionally, Rocket Lab USA, a smaller launch company, successfully retrieved its first-stage rocket in 2022 using a helicopter before dropping it into the ocean.