China recovers rocket stage on land for first time, after earlier recovery at sea

China has successfully recaptured the first stage of a rocket on land for the first time, state media reported Wednesday, as the country seeks to advance its space program.

BEIJING — China has successfully recaptured the first stage of a rocket on land for the first time, state media reported Wednesday, as the country seeks to advance its space program.

Although this marks China’s first successful recovery on land, it is the second time the country has recovered a rocket stage, following a successful recovery on a sea platform in July.

Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency, said the reusable rocket, Zhuque-3, was launched Wednesday morning and that the rocket’s first stage was recovered afterward.

Chinese rocket explodes moments after liftoff

Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin have been recovering rockets since 2015, helping drive down launch costs by reusing hardware that would otherwise be discarded after carrying satellites and other payloads toward space.