tech
China Recovered Its First Reusable Rocket and Showed a New Way to Do It
Clearly, they admire the work that’s being done by SpaceX and are trying to replicate it.
TL;DR
- China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) successfully recovered its first reusable orbital-class rocket booster from the Long March 10B.
- The recovery utilized a novel sea-based net capture technique, distinct from propulsive landings used by SpaceX and Blue Origin.
- This achievement makes China the third entity globally to accomplish controlled rocket recovery, following SpaceX and Blue Origin.
- The Long March 10B is a medium-lift rocket with a payload capacity of approximately 16 metric tons to low-Earth orbit.
- The successful test validates core technologies for reusable launch systems, including multiple engine restarts and high-precision navigation.
- China aims to land citizens on the Moon by 2030, with rockets like the Long March 10 being crucial for this program.
- Advancements in reusable rocketry by China are seen by US military officials as key to potentially threatening US assets in space.