Why China’s reusable rocket breakthrough matters for the PLA’s ‘kill chain’

A pair of landmark rocket recoveries in recent weeks has brought China a step closer to mastering reusable launch technology – a breakthrough analysts said could give the People’s Liberation Army an advantage in combat by increasing the resilience of its satellite-supported “kill chain”, the process of identifying, tracking and engaging a target. In a first for China, commercial rocket company LandSpace recovered a stainless-steel booster using deployable legs after an orbital flight earlier...