China tests Long March 10 rocket in step toward 2030 moon landing

Wednesday 11 February 2026 - 15:50

By: Dakir Madiha

China tests Long March 10 rocket in step toward 2030 moon landing

China on Wednesday successfully conducted a flight test of its Long March 10 carrier rocket and the crewed Mengzhou spacecraft, marking a major milestone in its plan to send astronauts to the Moon by 2030. The launch took place at 11:00 a.m. Beijing time from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province and included several firsts for the country’s human spaceflight program.

The mission combined a low altitude demonstration flight of the Long March 10 with a maximum dynamic pressure abort test of the Mengzhou spacecraft, simulating the most dangerous phase of launch when aerodynamic stress is at its peak. According to the China Manned Space Agency, both the rocket’s first stage body and the spacecraft’s return capsule made controlled splashdowns at sea.

Wednesday’s test achieved multiple historic milestones. It marked the first ignition flight of the Long March 10 in its initial prototype configuration, China’s first maximum dynamic pressure abort test for a crewed spacecraft, and the country’s first maritime recovery of both a crewed return capsule and a rocket first stage.

State news agency Xinhua reported that the spacecraft successfully executed separation and abort procedures after receiving commands from the rocket, demonstrating critical safety systems designed to protect astronauts in the event of a launch failure. A dedicated maritime search and recovery team retrieved the Mengzhou capsule from a predetermined sea zone.

The test builds on earlier progress, including tethered ignition trials for the Long March 10, a zero altitude abort flight test of the Mengzhou spacecraft completed in June 2025, and integrated landing and ascent verification for the Lanyue lunar module. Both the rocket and spacecraft used in Wednesday’s mission were in their initial prototype configurations.

Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the China Manned Space Agency, has previously stated that overall development of the country’s crewed lunar missions is advancing steadily, with the Long March 10 and Mengzhou programs progressing according to schedule.

China plans to launch the Mengzhou 1 mission later this year, sending the next generation crewed spacecraft to dock with the Tiangong space station. Mengzhou represents a comprehensive upgrade over the Shenzhou series, featuring a modular design composed of a return capsule and a service module capable of supporting both low Earth orbit and lunar missions.

The successful test strengthens China’s position in the renewed global race to return humans to the Moon, as the United States Artemis program continues to face delays.