Translated with AI
China has successfully completed the controlled return of a reusable first stage of an orbital launch vehicle to Earth for the first time.
China's new heavy-lift launch vehicle, the Long March-10B (also known as the Long March-10B), equipped with a reusable first stage, successfully launched on its maiden test flight on Friday, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) announced.
The launch took place from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan Island at 12:15 PM Beijing time (7:15 AM Moscow time). The rocket successfully placed the satellite into its designated orbit.
Approximately six minutes after liftoff, the first stage separated from the rocket and began a controlled reentry. It subsequently made a controlled vertical landing on a sea platform equipped with a special net.
The mission marked China's first successful controlled return of a first stage rocket.
According to local media, the successful test marked a historic breakthrough for China in reusable rocket technology. This achievement is expected to lay a solid foundation for further improvements to China's space exploration capabilities.
The Long March 10B is a large, two-stage liquid-fueled launch vehicle with a diameter of five meters. The primary stage uses oxygen and kerosene as fuel, while the secondary stage uses oxygen and methane.
The rocket's liftoff thrust is approximately 890 tons, and its launch mass is approximately 760 tons. The length of the Long March 10B in the configuration used during its maiden flight was approximately 63 meters.
In reusable mode, the rocket is capable of launching payloads weighing up to 16 tons. These capabilities allow it to be used for a variety of space missions, including deploying internet satellite constellations in low-Earth orbit and launching large commercial satellites.
The reusable configuration significantly reduces launch costs, while the rocket combines high payload capacity with cost-effectiveness.
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