China Lunar Crew Test Advances Crewed Moon Mission Goals
China successfully carried out a China Lunar Crew Test, marking a significant milestone in its plan to land astronauts on the Moon before 2030. The tests took place at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan Province and included a low-altitude demonstration of the Long March-10 rocket and a high-speed abort test of the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft under maximum aerodynamic pressure. Both systems performed as expected.
Key Highlights of the China Lunar Crew Test
The China Lunar Crew Test featured several firsts for China’s space program:
First ignition flight of the Long March-10 rocket prototype.
Maximum dynamic pressure abort test for the Mengzhou spacecraft.
At-sea splashdown recovery of both the rocket’s first stage and the spacecraft’s return capsule, a national first.
Launch from Wenchang’s newly constructed pad with advanced support systems.
All test articles were modified for reusability requirements, and landing-zone teams conducted focused drills to manage technical challenges associated with the spacecraft’s first at-sea splashdown recovery.
Supporting Milestones
The test builds on previous preparatory milestones, including tethered ignition tests for the Long March-10 rocket, a zero-altitude abort test for the Mengzhou spacecraft, and integrated landing and takeoff verification for the Lanyue lunar lander.
During the mission, the rocket lifted off at 11:00 Beijing Time and reached conditions corresponding to the spacecraft’s maximum dynamic pressure abort regime. Upon receiving the abort command, the spacecraft separated and executed procedures flawlessly, while both rocket and spacecraft returned safely to the sea.
Looking Ahead
The successful China Lunar Crew Test validates the rocket’s ascent and recovery performance and confirms the spacecraft’s abort and recovery systems. It also demonstrates engineering interface compatibility across multiple systems, providing critical flight data for future crewed lunar exploration missions. These achievements represent another vital step toward China’s first crewed Moon landing.
