China has made a significant breakthrough in reusable rocket technology, successfully recovering the first stage of a carrier rocket during an orbital launch test, state media reported Friday.
Reusable Rocket Technology
The Long March 10B rocket was launched from Hainan island in southern China, and about six minutes after separation of its first and upper stage, the first-stage booster returned to a floating platform, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
This successful test puts China closer to matching the reusable rocket capabilities of American firms, which is seen as key to both space exploration and travel, as well as to building out critical satellite infrastructure.
The mission also succeeded in deploying a satellite into orbit, state media said. Developing reusable technology can significantly lower the cost and turn-around time of rocket launches, providing nations a strategic advantage as space increasingly becomes a domain linked to military power and defense capabilities on Earth.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
