The recoveries herald a new era of reusability in spaceflight, which experts say will increase competition globally and could dramatically lower the cost of launching rockets into space.The RV-X, an experimental reusable rocket, at the Noshiro Rocket Testing Center in Noshiro City, Japan, on July 11. Hidenori Nagai / The Yomiuri Shimbun via APJuly 18, 2026, 6:00 AM EDTFor nearly a decade, SpaceX stood alone in its ability to recover rocket boosters after a launch and reuse them on subsequent missions. Last year, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin managed to pull off the same feat, successfully landing its booster on an offshore platform.Just a moment.We are getting your experience ready.
Move over SpaceX: China and Japan flex reusable rockets
The recoveries herald a new era of reusability in spaceflight, which experts say will increase competition globally and could dramatically lower the cost of launching rockets into space.
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