China appears ready to launch its first reusable orbital rocket.
Images and footage circulating on Chinese social media over the weekend show rollout and apparent integrated testing of the Long March 10B at the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site, including what space analysts describe as a wet dress rehearsal. Propellant loading and venting of both first and second stages were visible, suggesting final pre-flight checks are underway. A launch within weeks is considered plausible by observers; no official date or airspace closure has been published, which is typical for state-led Chinese campaigns before they announce.
The Long March 10B is the cargo-optimized variant of a new rocket family developed by CASC, China's state-owned primary space contractor. Its sister version, the Long March 10A, conducted an in-flight abort test in February 2026 using a single-stage test article of the crew spacecraft Mengzhou. That stage performed a controlled propulsive descent and splashdown, a milestone that may now enable a full booster recovery attempt with the 10B. Both variants use a net-based recovery system mounted on a dedicated vessel rather than landing legs, catching hooks attached to the booster after a propulsive descent over the South China Sea.
The rocket's debut has been expected since late 2025, when CASC stated a target of first-half 2026. The wet dress rehearsal marks the closest China has come to an actual launch.
The 10B is designed to place at least 11 tonnes into a 900-kilometer orbit at 50 degrees inclination, a capability directly relevant to the Guowang megaconstellation, China's answer to Starlink. Its payload capacity to low Earth orbit is estimated at 16 tonnes or more in reusable mode. The rocket shares its 5.0-meter diameter core with the expendable Long March 5 series, which has supported lunar sample returns, the Tianwen-1 Mars mission, and Tiangong space station construction. The 10 series upgrades those cores with variable-thrust YF-100 engines burning kerosene and liquid oxygen.
The debut matters beyond symbolism. China has stated its goal of matching or exceeding U.S. commercial launch cadence within this decade. A successful first flight and recovery of the 10B would put CASC on a meaningful step toward that target, with the crewed 10A variant following later this year. The Long March 12A attempted recovery with landing legs in December 2025 and failed to land successfully. Commercial firm Landspace is targeting a second flight and recovery of its Zhuque-3 rocket in the current quarter. The 10B's net-based approach differs from both.