China's Long March-10 carrier rocket achieved its first static fire test on Friday at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan, marking a major step toward a manned lunar mission by the end of the decade.
At 3:00 p.m., engineers ignited all seven first-stage engines simultaneously, generating nearly 1,000 tonnes of thrust – the largest scale test ever conducted in the country. According to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), this trial validated the rocket's capacity to operate under both standard and high-stress conditions while gathering comprehensive performance data.
The Long March-10 series, including the three-stage Long March-10 and the two-stage reusable Long March-10A, are designed to carry astronauts and cargo beyond Earth orbit. Standing 92.5 meters tall with two boosters, the Long March-10 will deliver manned spacecraft and lunar landers into space. Its 67-meter counterpart, the Long March-10A, will support space station missions with a reusable first stage.
"Both Long March-10 and Long March-10A can transport astronauts and cargo," said Xu Hongping, chief commander at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The success of this static fire lays a technical foundation for upcoming lunar trials, CMSA noted.
With zero-altitude escape tests of the Mengzhou manned spacecraft and landing and takeoff trials of the Lanyue lunar lander already complete, China is now gearing up for its first crewed lunar landing before 2030. New infrastructure at the Wenchang site is under construction to support these ambitious goals, with follow-up technical verifications scheduled in the coming months.
As China pushes deeper into space, the Long March-10 series stands at the forefront of its human spaceflight upgrades – a key piece in achieving safe, reliable round-trip transport between Earth and the moon.
Reference(s):
China closer to manned moon landing goal after successful rocket test
cgtn.com
