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

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation said the Long March 10B rocket lifted off from Hainan, southern China, at 12:15 local time (0415 GMT) on Friday.

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

He notes that China may challenge the United States’ dominance in reusable rockets after the successful landings of Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Blue Origin, owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Rockets are often considered expendable: their various segments are discarded and destroyed during ascent, making it more expensive to launch spacecraft.

By reusing propellants, which are generally considered the most valuable part of a rocket, The cost of satellite launches and space exploration can be significantly reduced.

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

The Falcon 9 now launches about 150 times a year with boosters that can be 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 landed next to a recovery platform.

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

But unlike the Falcon 9, the Long March 10B does not land autonomously on a ground platform or unmanned ship. Instead, the rocket’s “landing hooks” catch a net attached to a floating platform.

Shares of Chinese space companies rose on the news, with China Spacesat and China Satellite Communications each rising 10%, the daily limit allowed by the country’s financial market regulations.