China Catches Orbital Booster with Net in First Successful Recovery

China's state aerospace contractor CALT recovered a Long March 10B first-stage booster intact at sea on July 10, 2026, using a net equipped with hooks—a guidance-and-capture approach distinct from SpaceX's powered leg landings. The company plans to reflew the booster before year-end, validating its reuse cycle. The success followed a missed February simulation 200 meters off-target, suggesting only minor trajectory corrections were needed.