A China-launched reusable experimental spacecraft made a successful landing at the planned site on September 6, after a two-day excursion in orbit that followed its launch on a Long March-2F carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, according to China’s State Xinhua News Agency.
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the State-owned aviation giant which developed the Long March-2F rocket that carried the reusable spacecraft on its 14th mission, called the widely watched experiment a “complete success,” saying it underscores an “important breakthrough” in the country’s research on reusable spacecraft technology. It will offer an easier and cheaper option for peaceful space utilization in the future.
The timing of the rather low-key experiment was echoed by a 2017 CASC statement, which said it planned to launch a reusable spacecraft this year, reinforcing speculation that the experiment took place as scheduled as part of the space company’s ambition to develop reusable vehicles.
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