China's first rocket recovery ship boasts advanced technologies and robust capabilities

China's first rocket recovery ship, Linghangzhe, or Pathfinder, features advanced technologies and robust capabilities, according to its designers.

The vessel is a converted non-self-propelled flat-top barge that was refitted by designers and engineers from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, China State Shipbuilding Corp's Guangzhou Shipyard International, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering.

The craft's refit feasibility research was launched in September 2024, and the conceptual design was finalized in December that year. Construction commenced in April 2025, and the vessel was named and delivered in December.

The ship measures 144 meters in length, 50 meters in width and 5.5 meters in draft. It has a full-load displacement of 25,000 metric tons and a DP2-level dynamic positioning capability.

According to He Guangwei, chief designer of Linghangzhe and deputy chief engineer of Guangzhou Shipyard International, the design and construction of the vessel presented multiple technical hurdles.

Since the vessel must maintain highly synchronized position and attitude with the returning rocket during recovery operations, parameters such as roll, pitch and yaw — which receive little attention in conventional ship design — are subject to far stricter requirements for the special craft.

The positioning accuracy of its dynamic positioning system must meet performance standards across all wave directions, he noted.

In terms of hull structural design, conventional ships are typically engineered for uniformly distributed loads across the deck. By contrast, the cable-net recovery platform is mounted on the deck via four large support pedestals, creating highly concentrated loads that pose a major challenge to engineers.

Meanwhile, the cable-net recovery system features a tall truss structure with heavy mass and a high center of gravity, which also creates significant difficulties for ship stability design.

"From the earliest design phase, engineers had to conduct load analysis under various sea conditions, wind tunnel tests, and outrigger sponson design work. Engineers from both the space and shipbuilding sectors overcame these obstacles and successfully delivered this reliable recovery platform," He said.

Xu Xuelei from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology said that the Linghangzhe's dynamic positioning system can be remotely controlled. Operators can input latitude and longitude coordinates from 10 to 20 kilometers away, and the vessel will automatically hold its position at the target point.

He said the rocket capture tower on board stands 67 meters tall, with a structural self-weight of 3,500 tons. With all on-board equipment included, its total weight reaches 5,400 tons. The entire tower structure is connected to the hull via four sets of large support pedestals.

Sponsons are installed at the four corners of the tower. When the vessel heels slightly, these sponsons submerge and generate extra buoyancy, which helps significantly reduce the overall roll angle of the vessel, according to him.