According to the Xinhua news agency, this is the second such test, which confirms the stable progress of the project and takes the development to a new stage. The rocket was created by the Chinese Academy of Rocket Technology, which is responsible for most of the country's modern space carriers. The design uses a combination of liquid hydrogen, oxygen and kerosene, which allows for high power and reliability with relatively low levels of harmful emissions.
The Changzheng-10 carrier has a length of 92 meters and a take—off thrust of over 2.6 thousand tons, thanks to which it is capable of delivering up to 27 tons of payload to the Earth-Moon transition orbit. This carrying capacity makes it an essential element of future expeditions: it will be able to deliver equipment, modules, and research stations. For manned flights, a lightweight modification without accelerators will be used, which will be able to put about 14 tons into orbit, which is enough for the crew and the basic scientific complex.
The new carrier is considered by Beijing as a strategic tool for exploring the Moon and strengthening the country's position in the international space race. The successful engine test underscores the seriousness of China's intentions, and also demonstrates the high level of technological readiness needed to send taikonauts to Earth's natural satellite over the next decade.
