China tests Long March-10 rocket with 990-ton thrust for moon mission

China has successfully conducted a critical ground test of the Long March-10 rocket’s first stage, marking a significant milestone toward its goal of a manned lunar mission by 2030. The test, performed at Hainan Island’s coastal spaceport, involved firing seven YF-100K engines simultaneously for 30 seconds, producing approximately 900 tonnes of thrust. This demonstrated the engines’ ability to operate in sync under both normal and high-power conditions, providing valuable data for future rocket development. The Long March-10, standing 92 meters tall and equipped with 21 engines in total, is about three times more powerful than China’s current Long March-5 rocket and can send roughly 27 tonnes toward the moon. The Long March-10 rocket is central to China’s lunar ambitions, which include a two-launch mission involving a crew vehicle (Mengzhou) and a lander (Lanyue) that will dock in lunar orbit before astronauts descend to the surface. Beyond the initial landing,