Hey space buffs! Big news: the Chinese mainland's new Long March-10 manned carrier rocket just crushed its second static fire test at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan 🚀🔥. Think of a static fire as a giant engine rehearsal on the ground – here, all seven first-stage engines ran together for 320 seconds straight to check performance, low-thrust modes, and even a restart sequence. Talk about power moves! It's that next-level excitement you get when cheering at an IPL final or watching the SEA Games on your phone 📱.
Why it matters? This is a major leap for the rocket's prototype, proving its engine system can handle the stress and be recovered or reused. It's like stress-testing your fave sneakers by running a marathon in them – but way cooler and louder 📢.
Long March-10 comes in two flavors: the base version and the beefed-up 10A. Both are key to the Chinese mainland's plan to land astronauts on the moon before 2030 🌕. With this test in the bag, the manned lunar exploration program is steaming ahead, alongside progress on the Mengzhou spacecraft and the Lanyue lunar lander.
Behind the scenes, new support facilities are rising at Wenchang, setting the stage for the rocket's maiden flight. Next up: more ground checks and verifications to fine-tune every nut and bolt.
For tech-savvy young pros tracking the next frontier, this is proof that the Chinese mainland's space game is leveling up. Stay tuned for more updates as we count down to lunar touchdown! 🌌📱
Reference(s):
China's Long March-10 carrier rocket succeeds in 2nd static fire test
cgtn.com
