China Recovers Orbital Booster Using Net Capture on First Successful Attempt

China's state-owned CALT recovered a Long March 10B first-stage booster intact at sea on July 10, 2026, after placing its payload in orbit. The booster was caught by a net equipped with hooks—a technically distinct alternative to SpaceX's leg-based landing approach. CALT expects to reflew the booster before year-end, validating the turnaround-to-reuse cycle. The feat follows a missed February simulation 200 meters off-target, suggesting only incremental guidance corrections were needed.