CHINA has completed the inaugural test flight of its next-generation Mengzhou crewed spacecraft, executing a critical zero-altitude escape trial at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert.

The successful test hints at differences in the plans of China and the United States to “return to the moon.”

Developed for China’s 2030 lunar ambitions, the modular Mengzhou spacecraft features two variants: a near-Earth version supporting space station operations with a seven-astronaut capacity and a deep-space model for lunar missions. Its reusable return capsule and advanced technologies place it among the world’s most capable crew vehicles.

At midday Tuesday, the spacecraft’s escape engines ignited while grounded at the launch complex. Within 20 seconds, the return capsule reached its designated altitude and cleanly separated from the escape tower as parachutes deployed.

The capsule subsequently touched down within the predetermined landing zone using an airbag cushioning system, marking the test’s success.

This safety test – designed to ensure the crew survive if the rocket fails during lift-off – simulates emergencies in which astronauts must be rapidly extracted from danger zones during a vehicle’s most vulnerable launch phase.

It’s China’s first test of this kind since 1998, when a similar trial was conducted for the crewed Shenzhou spacecraft program.

Notably, Mengzhou features significant upgrades over its predecessor. Whereas Shenzhou relied on rocket-mounted escape systems, the new spacecraft integrates solid-fuel escape engines that can independently execute both emergency escape and crew recovery operations. The test this week validated system compatibility and captured crucial flight parameters.

According to official plans, there will be another escape test simulating maximum aerodynamic pressure (Max-Q) failure during ascent later this year.

In a statement released following the test, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) emphasized Mengzhou’s pivotal role: “As the future backbone of China’s crewed space flight, this vehicle will enable both space station operations and lunar exploration missions. This successful test lays vital technical groundwork for coming crewed moon landings.”

CASC further confirmed steady progress on supporting systems, saying: “Development of the Long March-10 lunar rocket and lunar landers remains on track, with related tests proceeding per schedule.”

In recent years, many countries, including China and the United States, have reignited their lunar exploration drive after a half-century hiatus since the Apollo program concluded in 1972. As China accelerates its moon plans, NASA’s Artemis program faces mounting challenges.

Following Artemis I’s 2022 launch, NASA postponed Artemis II’s crewed lunar fly-by to April next year and delayed the Artemis III landing mission to 2027.(SD-Agencies)