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China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) conducted the maiden flight of its new Long March 10B (CZ-10B) launch vehicle on July 10, 2026. The rocket lifted off from the new Dongfeng commercial launch zone near Jiuquan and successfully delivered a payload into its target orbit, according to CASC.
The highlight of the mission was the recovery of the first stage: After stage separation, the booster returned to Earth and was caught by a sea-net system deployed on the ocean surface – a world first in spaceflight history. The floating net (海上网系回收) catches the descending stage after atmospheric reentry, allowing a controlled, gentle retrieval at sea without the stage sinking into deep water.
The Long March 10 family represents the next generation of Chinese launch vehicles. While the CZ-10 is designed for crewed lunar missions, the CZ-10B is a commercially oriented variant featuring a reusable first stage. The successful maiden flight validates both the new rocket design and a novel, cost-saving recovery method intended to simplify stage reuse.
Launch took place at the Dongfeng commercial space innovation zone (东风商业航天创新试验区), a dedicated area near the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center that is being developed for private and commercial launch vehicles as well as test flights of new rocket types.
Context: The CZ-10B is a two-stage, partially reusable rocket evolved from the technology of the planned CZ-10 lunar crew vehicle. With its first flight, China is pioneering an alternative recovery approach – the sea-net system is a global first and could reduce the cost and complexity of booster retrieval compared to traditional landing legs or ocean recovery.