---
title: "China Caught a Rocket with a Net: A Breakthrough in Reusable Launch Vehicles and a Challenge to SpaceX"
description: "China has made a breakthrough in spaceflight: the Long March 10B rocket has successfully returned to Earth for the first time and was caught by a net on a sea vessel 🇨🇳🚀. Engineers abandoned heavy landing gear, which will help reduce launch costs and challenge SpaceX. Shares of Chinese aerospace companies have soared by 10% 📈"
date: 2026-07-10T13:20:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/china-caught-a-rocket-with-a-net-breakthrough-in-reusable-launch-vehicles
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# China Caught a Rocket with a Net: A Breakthrough in Reusable Launch Vehicles and a Challenge to SpaceX

![Chinese rocket on launch pad: preparation for launch and testing of reusable technologies](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/10/kitay-poymal-raketu-setkoy-proryv-v-sozdanii-mnogorazovyh-nositeley/kitay-poymal-raketu-setkoy-proryv-v-sozdanii-mnogorazovyh-nositeley-1.webp)

A landmark shift has occurred in the history of global spaceflight. China has successfully completed tests of the Long March 10B rocket, which performed a vertical landing and was caught by a specialized net on a sea platform. This event confirms that Beijing is on the final stretch of creating a fully reusable system capable of competing with Western counterparts.

### From Disposability to the Economics of Reusability

For decades, the traditional scheme for launching spacecraft has been based on disposability. After the fuel was expended, the stages separated and burned up in the atmosphere or fell into the ocean. This made every flight astronomically expensive, as a new rocket had to be built from scratch.

The main economic lever of modern spaceflight is the reuse of the first stage. This is where the most expensive components are located: powerful engines and the most complex electronics. Until recently, American private companies led this race unchallenged, but now the balance of power is shifting.

### A Story of Success: From Failure to Triumph

This launch marked the culmination of long and complex tests. Beijing had already attempted to recover a reusable rocket in February 2026 using the Long March 10A model. At that time, the booster failed to achieve landing accuracy and fell into the water near the platform.

However, on July 10, the situation changed radically. The Long March 10B rocket proved the full readiness of Chinese technology. Exactly six minutes after liftoff from Hainan Island, the first stage performed a perfect controlled landing, demonstrating full control over the flight vector.

### Unique Technology: Why No 'Legs' Are Needed?

Chinese engineers chose a non-standard path to solve the landing problem. Unlike Western counterparts, which equip rockets with heavy landing gear ('legs'), Beijing abandoned them to save mass.

The technical essence of the solution lies in transferring the support system to a floating sea platform. A strong net is stretched on it, while the rocket itself is equipped with only four light-catching hooks. During vertical descent, the booster simply 'flies' into the net, which dampens the speed and securely fixes the fuselage.

This scheme allows the Long March 10B to retain maximum fuel for deploying the payload. The rocket is capable of delivering at least 16 tons of cargo to orbit while guaranteeing a return to Earth for reuse.

### Financial Impact and Plans for the Moon

The success of the tests was immediately reflected in the financial markets. Shares of leading Chinese aerospace enterprises, including China Spacesat and China Satellite Communications, soared to the maximum daily limit of 10%. Investors see this as a chance to drastically reduce the cost of satellite deployment.

The recovered booster is already planned to be prepared for a new launch in the near future. This will be the first step towards creating a full fleet of reusable launch vehicles offering a serious alternative to American rockets.

Moreover, it is precisely this technology that will serve as the foundation for Beijing's ambitious plans for manned missions to the Moon. Without the ability to reuse launch vehicles multiple times, such projects remain economically unfeasible.