Rocket engine for lunar mission completes test

Rocket scientists and engineers conducted a major test last week on the propulsion system to be used on a new type of carrier rocket, which will be the backbone of China's future mission to land astronauts on the moon.

During the ignition test that took place at a newly built engine testing facility in Beijing's Fengtai district, a new type of engine, which consumes liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, was ignited for more than 16 minutes in a mock high-altitude environment, according to the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology in Xi'an, Shaanxi province. The academy is China's major manufacturer of liquid-propellant rocket engines.

The new engine model has been designed to propel the third stage of the Long March 10 rocket, which is under research and development at the Beijing-based China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The engine will be used when the rocket reaches a high altitude.

Both academies are subsidiaries of State-owned industry giant China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.

An expert with knowledge of the test who spoke to China Daily on condition of anonymity, said both the new engine and the new testing facility were designed for the nation's manned lunar expedition program.

"The new facility was built to test the performance of the new engine, which was developed to propel the third stage of the new Long March 10 rocket in a high-altitude environment," he said.

The Long March 10 has been tasked with launching the country's new-generation crewed spacecraft and the lunar landing module. The rocket is expected to be ready for its maiden flight around 2027.

The rocket for the moon mission will consist of a core booster and several side boosters and will be 92.5 meters tall, which is roughly the height of a 32-story residential building. The gigantic vehicle will have a liftoff weight of 2,189 metric tons and a thrust of 2,678 tons.

It will be capable of transporting spacecraft weighing at least 27 tons to an Earth-moon transfer trajectory, according to designers.

zhaolei@chinadaily.com.cn