12 August 2025 year China successfully performed the first static fire test of the first degree of the missile Long March-10 with seven engines, designed to deliver astronauts per month. The trial took place at the Wenchan's cosport in Hainan province, What has become an important step in preparing for the manual missions of manual, planned to 2030 year.
Long march-10 missile, developed by the Chinese Academy of Space Launch Technology (CALT), is a key element of China's manned lunar mission program. Test sample with seven YF-100K engines, operating on liquid oxygen and kerosene, demonstrated stable operation and successful shutdown, confirming the reliability of the design of the first degree. These engines are an upgraded version of those, used in the Long March-5 rocket, and provide a total thrust of approx 2678 tons.
The test is part of China's broader strategy to establish a permanent presence on the moon, including plans for the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). Long March-10 will have three stages, length 92,5 meters and the ability to output at least 27 tons into orbit for transfer to the Moon. The mission involves two launches: one for the Mengzhou Manned Ship, another for the Lanyue Lunar Lander, which will meet in lunar orbit to deliver two astronauts to the surface of the moon for six hours.
Previous tests included testing three YF-100K engines in June 2024 year in Fentai district, Beijing, as well as the Mengzhou Emergency Shutdown Systems Inspection and Lanyue Landing Module Testing. A successful static test with seven engines lays the foundation for further tests and the rocket's first flight, scheduled for 2027 year, bringing China closer to the goal of landing astronauts on the moon.
Source: https://spacenews.com