China recovers Long March 10B rocket using ocean net system

China achieved a major milestone in its space program on July 10 with the successful recovery of the first stage of its Long March 10B rocket using a novel net-capture system on a floating platform in the South China Sea. The 63.6-meter-tall rocket, powered by seven kerosene-fueled engines, lifted off from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on Hainan Island at 12:15 p.m. local time (04:15 UTC). Approximately six to ten minutes into flight, the first stage separated, reversed course, and descended vertically onto a 25,000-ton offshore platform where tensioned cables in a grid pattern caught the booster as it shut down its landing engines.

This recovery method represents a distinct technological approach compared to competitors. SpaceX uses propulsive landings for its Falcon 9 and New Glenn boosters, and pioneered mechanical-arm catching for its Starship booster at the launch pad. Blue Origin landed its New Glenn booster on an offshore platform in November 2025 using propulsive landing. China's net-based ocean recovery is the world's first of its kind for an orbital-class booster and marks China as the third entity—after SpaceX (2015) and Blue Origin (2025)—to achieve controlled first-stage recovery of an orbital-class rocket.

The achievement represents a significant advancement in reusable rocket technology, which can substantially reduce launch costs and enhance China's competitive position in the global space industry. The Long March 10B is capable of deploying at least 16 tonnes of payload to low Earth orbit. Chinese state media characterized the flight as a "complete success," and the announcement triggered a market response, with shares of Chinese space companies China Spacesat and China Satellite Communications rising 10 percent—the maximum daily gain permitted under Chinese stock market rules. This success follows an earlier attempt in February 2026 when the Long March 10A performed a controlled descent and splashed down near a platform, though that did not constitute a full recovery. The Long March 10B's successful capture signals China's progress toward establishing routine reusable launch capabilities.