China has successfully tested a parachute system that can guide fallen rocket boosters into a predetermined parachute landing zone, the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, developer of the system, said on Friday.

Analysis of test data and in-situ debris showed that the system helped to narrow the range of the landing area by 80 percent, which will lay a foundation for the future engineering application of parachute landing control technology.

The system was adopted on a Long March-3B rocket which sent a BeiDou navigation satellite into orbit on May 17 from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, according to the academy.

The system has been optimized with the electrical subsystem, which achieved a weight reduction of 30 kilograms, making it more practical.

Designed to give more precise control over where rocket boosters land, the system can automatically open its parafoil at a certain height of descent, guiding the boosters back to an estimated landing area, which can improve the security in the launch site facing debris from rocket substage.

Most of China's major launch sites are deep inland, meaning preventing fallen rocket parts from landing unpredictably, especially in areas with human activities, has become an urgent task for scientists.

(With input from Xinhua)