China on July 10 successfully tested a missile recovery system using a grid mounted on a floating platform at sea with the hope of breaking US dominance in the field of reusable missiles, Xinhua reported.
The Truong Chinh 10B rocket was launched from the commercial space launch site of Hainan in southern China at 12:15 pm and about 6 minutes after the booster stage separated from the upper stage, the booster stage landed vertically and was recovered on a offshore platform, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.
The test marks the first time China has successfully recovered an orbital-grade missile, bringing the country closer to the development of reusable missiles.
Shares of Chinese aerospace companies soared after this news, with China Spacesat and China Satellite Communications both reaching the ceiling trading band during the day.
The Truong Chinh 10B rocket was once compared to the Falcon 9, a widely used medium-tonage rocket of SpaceX. This rocket was developed for the commercial aerospace field by China's leading state-owned rocket developer, the China Institute of Space Vehicle Technology, and is capable of carrying a load of at least 16 tons into low Earth orbit.
