China's first stage rocket recovery
AerospaceComments
Wait, they tried mid-air capture back then... did they use nets or some kind of hook system? I wonder if the G-forces during the catch were the main problem!
The claim about reducing overall costs is optimistic. The operational overhead of a recovery fleet and the subsequent refurbishment of salt-contaminated hardware often offset the savings of not building a new booster.
Reminds me of the mid-air capture attempts in the 60s. The hardware survived the catch, but the refurb costs were essentially the price of a new rocket.
The 10B is specifically designed for the crewed lunar program. This recovery test is less about routine cost-cutting and more about validating the architecture for high-mass lunar trajectories where propulsive landing is significantly more difficult.
This mirrors the approach of the early Space Shuttle boosters, which used parachute recovery in the ocean. The primary challenge is galvanic corrosion, where different metals in the structure react in saltwater, necessitating an immediate and thorough freshwater rinse.
Mechanical capture is the real play for heavy lift. Propulsive landing requires massive fuel reserves that eat into the payload capacity. A net lets them push the physics of the ascent.