China's new reusable Long March 10B rocket arrives at the launch pad

China has taken another giant step in space exploration. The country's latest reusable Long March 10B (CZ-10B) rocket has been installed at the No. 2 launch complex at the Wenchang Commercial Spaceport. This rocket is crucial to China's strategy to reduce space launch costs and compete with companies like SpaceX. This is reported by Ixbt.com reports.

The Long March 10B is attracting the attention of industry experts with its technical specifications. It is the first two-stage liquid-fueled reusable launch vehicle with a 5-meter diameter central core. It stands nearly 70 meters tall with a total launch mass of 540 tons. The first stage is equipped with seven oxygen-kerosene engines, each providing 120 tons of thrust.

Technological innovation: Catching the rocket with a net

According to ixbt.com, the most unique feature of the Long March 10B is its landing system. Unlike the Falcon 9 rockets from Elon Musk's SpaceX, the Chinese rocket does not have dedicated landing legs. Instead, after delivering its payload to space, the first stage performs a controlled descent and is caught by a giant net on a specialized sea platform called Navigator.

This approach significantly reduces the rocket's weight. The weight saved by eliminating landing legs is redirected toward carrying more payload. The Navigator ship is 144 meters long with a displacement of 25,000 tons and is equipped with a DP2 dynamic positioning system for such complex operations.

In terms of payload capacity, the Long March 10B can directly compete with the Falcon 9. In full reusable mode, it is capable of delivering at least 16 tons to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and up to 11 tons to a sun-synchronous orbit (at an altitude of 900 km). These figures give China a major advantage in the commercial satellite market.

Lunar program and future plans

The rocket's first test flight is expected to take place between July 10 and July 13 of this year. If the tests are successful, China will become the second country in the world to master medium-class reusable rocket technology. This could shift the balance of power in the global space industry.

It is worth noting that the Long March 10B project is not limited to cargo transport. These developments serve as the foundation for China's crewed lunar program scheduled for 2030. The experience gained from the rocket's reusable components is planned to be used in the future to transport Chinese taikonauts to the lunar surface.