China catches its first rocket booster

China has become the second country to successfully recover an orbital-class rocket booster. The Long March 10B, developed by the state-owned CASC, was captured by a net-based system on an offshore platform six minutes after launch.

Unlike SpaceX’s vertical landing legs, this hook-and-net method aims to reduce weight and simplify recovery. The booster was retrieved intact, with plans to reuse it for another flight by the end of this year.