Photo: chinadaily
China tests rocket and crewed spacecraft for Moon missions, reports China Daily.
The space mission
On February 11, a demonstration test flight of the Long March-10 rocket and the emergency rescue system of the crewed spacecraft Mengzhou took place at the Wenchang Space Launch Center. After launch, the rocket and the spacecraft — nearly 9 meters long and weighing 22 tons — successfully completed all stages of the program, taking a key step toward future Moon missions.
The chief engineer of China Aerospace Corporation (CASC) noted that this was the first time the operation included a Max Q escape test and recovery of the launch vehicle. During the flight, engineers tested the rocket’s performance, fault detection, navigation and control systems, as well as thermal protection.
Developers stated that the first two stages of the main boosters in both configurations are practically identical, and the first-stage booster in both setups will be reusable. The Moon mission variant includes a third-stage booster, which the shorter variant does not have.
The Mengzhou spacecraft was built by the China Academy of Space Technology. Once operational, it will gradually replace the Shenzhou model, which has been used for nearly three decades for China’s crewed spaceflights.
