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Chinese Spacecraft Passes Safety Test Crucial to Getting Boots on Moon

Published: Feb. 13, 2026 3:53 p.m. GMT+8

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On Wednesday, a rocket carrying the Mengzhou spacecraft lifted off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern province of Hainan. Photo: VCG

China successfully completed a crucial safety test for its next-generation crewed spacecraft as the country prepares to land astronauts on the moon by 2030.

The test validated the emergency escape capabilities of the Mengzhou spacecraft during its most stressful flight phase, in a bid to ensure that astronauts can safely return if something goes wrong during their mission.

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China completed a major safety test of its Mengzhou crewed spacecraft, validating its emergency escape system at 10 km altitude.
The Long March 10A rocket and Mengzhou capsule were safely recovered after controlled sea landings, a first for China.
The test is a milestone as China aims to land astronauts on the moon by 2030, with further flight tests planned.

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What Happened When

Wednesday, February 11, 2026：: The Long March 10A rocket carrying the Mengzhou spacecraft lifted off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site. During the flight, at an altitude of approximately 10 kilometers, an emergency escape test was conducted: the spacecraft’s escape tower fired, pulling the return capsule away and landing it safely in a designated sea area.