China has taken a significant step towards its goal of establishing a research base on the moon by 2030, as a new engine system designed for future lunar missions successfully passed a ground test on Friday.
The engine system, consisting of three YF-100K engines, is set to power the first stage of the Long March-10 rocket. This three-and-a-half-stage rocket is engineered to carry over 27 tonnes of payload to the Earth-to-moon transfer orbit, significantly surpassing the capacity of the current Long March-5 rocket, which carries over 8 tonnes and is utilized in the ongoing Chang’e-6 mission.
According to a report from China Media Group (CMG), the test marked the largest-scale engine test ever conducted for a Chinese rocket under development. During the trial, the engines generated a ground thrust of 382 tonnes, which is 1.6 times greater than previous largest-scale tests.
The Long March-10 rocket stands at an impressive 92.5 meters tall and weighs approximately 2,189 tonnes at liftoff. With a powerful thrust of 2,678 tonnes, it is designed to carry heavier payloads to the moon, supporting China’s ambitious lunar exploration objectives.
The successful ground test paves the way for the next phase in the rocket’s development. A second ground test of the first-stage propulsion system is scheduled to take place soon, bringing China closer to turning its lunar ambitions into reality.
Reference(s):
China's moon missions: New rocket engine system passes ground test
cgtn.com
