China — Reusable Long March-10B Booster

China achieved its first controlled recovery of an orbital-class reusable rocket booster.

Rocket

Long March-10B

Key Specifications

• Height: 63 m
• Diameter: 5 m
• Lift-off mass: 760 tonnes
• Thrust: 890 tonnes
• LEO payload capacity: 16 tonnes

Recovery

• First-stage booster
• Sea-based net platform
• Uses landing hooks.

Significance

China is advancing reusable launch technology.

Comparison

The source notes SpaceX became the first to recover an orbital-class rocket booster in 2015.

UPSC

Reusable rockets can reduce:

• Launch cost
• Turnaround time
• Material wastage.

They can increase launch frequency and access to space.