But it wasn't over yet.
That same day, at 5:00 PM, at the Bingzhou Satellite Launch Center.
A CZ-6R2 rocket's first stage initiated the deceleration program, adjusting its direction toward the recovery station.
This marked the 11th recovery attempt of the "Cloud Open" version of the CZ-6 rocket series, with eight successful recoveries, two failures, and the recent streak of six consecutive successes.
Clearly, the CZ-6's performance had stabilized, achieving a high recovery rate, but this time, everyone's nerves were as tight as during the first recovery attempt.
Because this time, the CZ-6 didn't use leg supports for recovery but grid fins instead.
The R2 denotes a change in the method of recovery.
This was paving the way for future grid fin recoveries for rocket bodies measuring 6 meters and 11 meters in diameter, which were not only more costly to test but also required too much preparation time.
