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The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation said the Long March 10B rocket lifted off from Hainan in southern China at 12:15 local time (04:15GMT) on Friday.

Around six minutes after separating from the rocket's upper stage, its booster returned to Earth vertically and was recovered on a floating platform.

The Long March 10B, which can carry a payload of at least 16 metric tons to low-Earth orbit, has been compared to SpaceX's Falcon 9.

But unlike the Falcon 9, the Long March 10B does not autonomously land on a ground pad or drone ship. Instead "landing hooks" on the rocket catch a net attached to a floating platform.