Japan has conducted a first test flight for its reusable rocket. The flight on Saturday comes as the country seeks to achieve the technology key to lower launch costs to compete in the global space market dominated by SpaceX. The flight is a step forward for Japan in achieving the technology needed to develop a lower cost successor to the country’s current mainstay, single-use H3 series. Saturday’s test came one day after China’s state media reported the achievement of its first successful recovery of the first stage of a rocket after a liftoff.