WEB DESK: China is making rapid progress toward its ambitious goal of sending astronauts to the Moon by 2030. Recently, the nation reached a significant milestone with the successful testing of a new safety system designed to protect astronauts during lunar missions.
Chinese scientists successfully conducted an escape test of the Ming Zuo Crew Carrier, a spacecraft engineered to ensure astronaut safety in case of launch emergencies. This crucial test demonstrated the crew’s ability to escape and return safely to Earth if needed.
In June 2024, China completed a ground-based safety test as part of its broader space program. The latest testing phase focused on evaluating the crew’s capability to re-enter safely after launch. The test involved the first flight and controlled descent of the Long March 10 rocket.
China’s space agency continues to advance its lunar ambitions. Earlier in June 2024, initial tests of the Long March 10 rocket’s propulsion system were carried out successfully. Standing at 93.5 meters tall, this new rocket is three times larger than China’s current most powerful launch vehicle, the Long March 5.
The Long March 10 is capable of transporting up to 70 tons of payload to low Earth orbit, and about 27 tons on a lunar trajectory. The rocket is slated to support two manned missions aimed at landing humans on the Moon.
Officials indicated in April 2024 that steady progress was being made toward the 2030 lunar human landing target. Notably, no astronauts participated in the recent tests, which focused purely on spacecraft and rocket systems.
Following launch, the Ming Zuo Crew Carrier detached from the rocket and safely splashed down into the ocean, demonstrating the effectiveness of China’s crew escape system.
