China Successfully Tests Their New Rocket and Lunar Crew Capsule, Placing them On-Track to Reach the Moon

China has achieved several impressive milestones in its space program in recent years. As part of their plan to build an outpost on the Moon that will compete with NASA's Artemis Program - the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) - they are busy developing a super-heavy launch system and a crew-capable spacecraft that will take taikonauts to the Moon by the end of the decade. That is the plan, at any rate, and recent tests indicate that they are on track to achieve that goal. On Wednesday, Feb. 11th, the China Manned Spaceflight Agency (CMSA) completed a major test of its Long March-10 rocket and the Mengzhou spacecraft.

The test took place at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province. It combined a low-altitude demonstration of the Long March-10 and an in-flight abort test of the Mengzhou spacecraft. This was the first ignition flight of the Long March-10 rocket and saw the spacecraft power through the most dangerous phase of ascent - maximum dynamic pressure (or Max Q). This phase occurs as the vehicle accelerates in the lower, denser atmosphere into the thinner upper atmosphere, when aerodynamic stress peaks.

An in-flight abort test, meanwhile, evaluates the crew capsule's safety system, which separates from the rocket in case of emergency. Both the capsule and the rocket's first stage were successful and landed in their designated recovery zones. Key moments in the flight test are featured in the video below, via the state-owned China Global Television Network (CGTN):

Said Ji Qiming, the CMSA spokesperson, during an interview with CGTN:

The test represents the five 'first-times,' as we call it. It's the inaugural ignition flight of the Long March-10 carrier rocket. It's the country's first maximum-dynamic-pressure escape test for a spacecraft. It's the first sea landing and recovery of a crewed spacecraft's return capsule. It's the first sea landing of the rocket's first-stage body. And it's the first ignition launch mission for the newly constructed launch pad for lunar missions.

The Long March-10* is a next-generation partially reusable launch system designed for crewed lunar missions. The rocket comes in two configurations, the first with three stages and two strap-on boosters, similar to SpaceX's Falcon 9 or the ULA's Vulcan and Atlas V rockets. The second, the 10A, has two stages and no boosters. The rocket is powered by seven liquid oxygen (LOX) and kerosene engines in parallel. The Mengzhou* spacecraft (Chinese for 'Dream Vessel') is a reusable vehicle capable of carrying 6 to 7 taikonauts.

After the spaceship separated, the rocket continued ascending until the first stage reached its predetermined height and speed, when its engines were shut down. The rocket then commenced its glide phase and changed its orientation several times, shifting from nose-forward to tail-forward. At an altitude of about 110 km (68 mi), the rocket deployed its four grid fins to prepare for landing. Two of its engines were then reignited for the powered deceleration phase, which was followed by the aerodynamic deceleration phase that relied solely on its grid fins to slow down and adjust its position.

During the final landing phase, three engines were reignited, and the rocket maneuvered toward its landing site. When it was just a few meters above sea level, the rocket hovered in place while ground crews tested an onboard tether mechanism to simulate a recovery using a ground-based net system. The rocket then splashed down in the ocean, where recovery crews retrieved it.

The first stage of the Long March-10 carrier rocket safely splashes down in the predetermined sea area in a controlled manner as planned, Feb. 11, 2026. [Photo/Xinhua]

Said Zhu Pingping of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation:

After completing this test flight, we can say that both the ascent profile of the Long March-10 series' first stage and the return profile of the Long March 10A have been validated. This means that the risks associated with subsequent formal mission flight tests can be effectively eliminated and controlled.

This test places China a step closer to its goal of landing astronauts on the Moon by 2030 and sending crews to other locations in deep space - like Mars. Combined with their planned expansion of the Tiangong space station, robotic missions to explore a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA), a Main Belt comet, and a Mars Sample Return (Tianwen-2 and -3, respectively), China is assuming a leadership role in space.

Further Reading: CGTN, China.org