China's Long March Rocket Uses Net Recovery, SpaceX Employs "Chopsticks"

China's Long March 11 rocket (CZ-11H) achieved a controlled recovery of its first stage on Tuesday, marking the world's first use of a net system for such a recovery. This development prompts a comparison with SpaceX's "chopstick" method used for its Starship.

SpaceX's "chopstick" method uses giant mechanical arms mounted on the launch tower to capture the rocket's first stage mid-air during its descent. This approach eliminates the need for landing legs, reducing weight and facilitating rapid reuse directly on the launch pad. However, the technique demands extremely high precision in controlling the rocket's landing point and requires sophisticated dynamic responses from the capture arms.

The net recovery system employed by the Long March rocket utilizes a large net deployed on a mobile sea platform to catch the descending stage. This method offers a wider tolerance for the landing area and imposes less stringent accuracy requirements compared to the "chopstick" approach. Utilizing a sea platform also frees up land-based launch facilities and is better suited for recovering first stages of medium-sized rockets.

Both recovery techniques serve different objectives. SpaceX aims for ultimate reusability and rapid turnaround, supporting ambitious deep-space missions. China's Long March program, focusing on national missions like lunar exploration, prioritizes reliability and feasibility. The net recovery system offers a cost-effective and timely solution for rocket reuse, leveraging the flexibility of marine operations.