China tests critical fairing for Long March 10 lunar rocket

China tests critical fairing for Long March 10 lunar rocket
by Simon Mansfield
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Nov 21, 2024
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the nation's state-owned space industry leader, has successfully tested a key component of its Long March 10 rocket, an essential part of China's manned lunar exploration mission.

The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), a CASC subsidiary and the nation's primary rocket manufacturer, announced the completion of a separation test for the payload fairing of the Long March 10. The payload fairing, positioned atop the rocket, safeguards spacecraft during launch.

According to the Beijing-based academy, the test evaluated the fairing's design, structural connections, separation mechanisms, and interior capacity. Results confirmed its reliability and will contribute to further assessments of its strength and payload compatibility. Details of the test's location and timing were not disclosed, but CALT noted the fairing's diameter measures an impressive 5 meters, marking it as a newly developed model.

The Long March 10 is poised to become a key player in China's space ambitions, with designs optimized for crewed lunar missions. This rocket family will include a baseline model specifically intended for moon landings, which is nearing readiness for its maiden flight.

Standing 92.5 meters tall - comparable to a 32-story building - the moon-bound rocket will feature a central booster and multiple side boosters. With a liftoff weight of 2,189 metric tons and a thrust of 2,678 tons, it can transport spacecraft weighing at least 27 tons to the Earth-moon transfer trajectory.

The rocket's powerful YF-100K engines will drive the Long March 10 series. These engines represent a new generation of propulsion technology vital to the ambitious lunar program.

China's manned lunar mission strategy involves two Long March 10 launches from Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province. These launches will send a landing module and a manned spacecraft into lunar orbit. Once in orbit, the two modules will dock, allowing astronauts to transfer to the landing module. Two crew members will then descend to the lunar surface using engine-assisted soft landing technology.