China achieves first successful reusable rocket landing

China has successfully recovered a reusable rocket booster for the first time, marking a major milestone in its efforts to develop lower-cost launch technology and strengthen its rapidly expanding space programme.

The achievement brings China a step closer to routinely reusing rockets, a capability that has transformed the commercial space industry by dramatically reducing launch costs.

Historic breakthrough

The Long March 10B rocket lifted off from the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site on Friday, successfully placing a satellite into its planned orbit before its first-stage booster returned to Earth.

In a first for China, the booster descended vertically and was successfully captured by a sea-based recovery platform equipped with a large net system.

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) described the mission as a "historic breakthrough" that will help improve the country's future access to space.

Different approach from SpaceX

Although the Long March 10B has drawn comparisons with SpaceX's Falcon 9, the recovery system works differently.

Rather than landing on deployable legs aboard a drone ship or landing pad, the Chinese booster uses specially designed hooks that latch onto a suspended net mounted on a recovery platform at sea.

Chinese engineers say the system reduces the weight of the rocket by eliminating landing legs, allowing more of the vehicle's mass to be devoted to carrying payloads into orbit.

They also argue the net provides a larger margin for recovery by increasing the available capture area during landing.

China closes the technology gap

Reusable rockets have become one of the defining technologies of the modern space industry.

SpaceX pioneered routine orbital booster recovery in 2015 and has since reused individual Falcon 9 boosters many times, allowing the company to conduct launches at an unprecedented pace.

Blue Origin also demonstrated successful booster recovery with its reusable launch system, while several other nations continue developing similar technology.

China has spent almost a decade working towards the same goal, progressing from low-altitude test vehicles to full-scale orbital-class recovery systems.

Reuse planned this year

Standing around 63 metres (206 feet) tall, the Long March 10B is designed to carry payloads of at least 16 tonnes into low-Earth orbit.

Its first stage uses kerosene and liquid oxygen, while the upper stage is powered by liquid oxygen and liquid methane.

Officials said both the satellite launch and booster recovery were complete successes.

State media reported that China intends to reuse the recovered first-stage booster before the end of this year, an important next step in proving that the technology is practical as well as recoverable.

If successful, the achievement would move China significantly closer to competing with the world's leading reusable rocket programmes and further accelerate its ambitions in commercial and government space launches.

SOURCE

50 minutes ago, Social Media said:

China achieves first successful reusable rocket landing

China has successfully recovered a reusable rocket booster for the first time, marking a major milestone in its efforts to develop lower-cost launch technology and strengthen its rapidly expanding space programme.

The achievement brings China a step closer to routinely reusing rockets, a capability that has transformed the commercial space industry by dramatically reducing launch costs.

Historic breakthrough

The Long March 10B rocket lifted off from the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site on Friday, successfully placing a satellite into its planned orbit before its first-stage booster returned to Earth.

In a first for China, the booster descended vertically and was successfully captured by a sea-based recovery platform equipped with a large net system.

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) described the mission as a "historic breakthrough" that will help improve the country's future access to space.

Different approach from SpaceX

Although the Long March 10B has drawn comparisons with SpaceX's Falcon 9, the recovery system works differently.

Rather than landing on deployable legs aboard a drone ship or landing pad, the Chinese booster uses specially designed hooks that latch onto a suspended net mounted on a recovery platform at sea.

Chinese engineers say the system reduces the weight of the rocket by eliminating landing legs, allowing more of the vehicle's mass to be devoted to carrying payloads into orbit.

They also argue the net provides a larger margin for recovery by increasing the available capture area during landing.

China closes the technology gap

Reusable rockets have become one of the defining technologies of the modern space industry.

SpaceX pioneered routine orbital booster recovery in 2015 and has since reused individual Falcon 9 boosters many times, allowing the company to conduct launches at an unprecedented pace.

Blue Origin also demonstrated successful booster recovery with its reusable launch system, while several other nations continue developing similar technology.

China has spent almost a decade working towards the same goal, progressing from low-altitude test vehicles to full-scale orbital-class recovery systems.

Reuse planned this year

Standing around 63 metres (206 feet) tall, the Long March 10B is designed to carry payloads of at least 16 tonnes into low-Earth orbit.

Its first stage uses kerosene and liquid oxygen, while the upper stage is powered by liquid oxygen and liquid methane.

Officials said both the satellite launch and booster recovery were complete successes.

State media reported that China intends to reuse the recovered first-stage booster before the end of this year, an important next step in proving that the technology is practical as well as recoverable.

If successful, the achievement would move China significantly closer to competing with the world's leading reusable rocket programmes and further accelerate its ambitions in commercial and government space launches.

SOURCE

China can copy others tech and make it even better. That is a quite a talent and no other country comes close to China. It is probably just a matter of time before they are the ones the rest of the world is copying. The net idea was wicked smart.