Spaceflight

China’s Long March 10A rocket is set to have its first flight in 2026, in what will be a crucial step in the country’s efforts to get astronauts on the moon.

A model of the Long March 10A, a single-core rocket for launching crew, is set to be unveiled at the Zhuhai Airshow in southern China, due to open Nov. 12. The rocket is set to have its debut launch in 2026, according to a Nov. 5 report from Science and Technology Daily, an official Chinese ministry newspaper.

The 67.4-meter-long, 5.0-meter-diameter Long March 10A will be used to launch a new generation crew spacecraft to the Tiangong space station in low Earth orbit. It will be capable of lifting 14,200 kilograms to LEO when recovering the first stage. The rocket will be 66.4-meters-long when used to launch cargo missions to Tiangong.

Also on display at Zhuhai will be a model of the Long March 9, which will be China’s rocket for launching space infrastructure, including to the moon. Images on Chinese social media Sina Weibo and reported by Ars Technica show a model on display with a reusable upper stage, akin to the SpaceX Starship.

Designs and models for CALT’s Long March 9 have evolved in recent years, from an expendable kerosene-fueled 10-meter-diameter rocket with four 5.0-meter-diameter side boosters, to various methane-fueled designs for reusability.