China Catches Long March-10B First Stage on Offshore Net After Hainan Test Flight

The recovery marks the first time a Chinese orbital-class booster has returned intact, placing the Long March-10B alongside vehicles already demonstrated by SpaceX and Blue Origin.

China caught the first stage of its Long March-10B rocket in a net system mounted on a sea platform after the booster lifted off from Hainan on 10 July. Multiple outlets reported the same sequence: a controlled descent followed by a soft capture rather than a conventional landing leg touchdown. The test constituted the rocket's maiden flight.

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