China lands reusable rocket for first time

China has successfully landed a reusable rocket for the first time in a major breakthrough for the country's space programme, according to state media.

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation said the Long March 10B rocket lifted off from Hainan in southern China at 12:15 local time (04:15GMT) on Friday.

Around six minutes after separating from the rocket's upper stage, its booster returned to Earth vertically and was recovered on a floating platform.

It signals that China may be able to challenge America's dominance in reusable rockets after successful landings by Elon Musk's SpaceX and Blue Origin, which is owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Rockets are typically considered expendable - their various segments being discarded and destroyed during ascent - which makes launching spacecraft expensive.

By reusing boosters - which are generally seen as the most valuable part of a rocket - the cost of satellite launches and space exploration can be significantly lowered.

In December 2015, SpaceX landed a reusable Falcon 9 rocket from an orbital flight for the first time, followed by Blue Origin's New Glenn in November 2025.

The Falcon 9 now launches about 150 times a year with boosters that are capable of being reused dozens of times.

China made its first attempt at reusable rocket recovery in February, with a Long March 10A rocket. It completed a controlled descent and splashed down next to a recovery platform.

The Long March 10B, which can carry a payload of at least 16 metric tons to low-Earth orbit, has been compared to SpaceX's Falcon 9.

But unlike the Falcon 9, the Long March 10B does not autonomously land on a ground pad or drone ship. Instead "landing hooks" on the rocket catch a net attached to a floating platform.

Shares in Chinese space firms jumped following the news, with China Spacesat and China Satellite Communications each rising by 10%, the daily limit allowed by the country's financial market regulations.

-BBC