On February 11, 2026, China conducted a combined test that both exercised a new lunar capsule and validated a reusable booster concept at the Wenchang Space Launch Site on Hainan Island. A Long March 10 first-stage booster, powered by seven kerosene-fueled YF-100K engines, lifted off and later returned for recovery after an in‑flight abort scenario; the Mengzhou lunar capsule completed a controlled splashdown in the South China Sea. State contractor China Aerospace and Science Technology Corporation (CASC) said the flight assessed engine restart reliability, high‑altitude ignition on reentry and precise navigation during recovery. The test advances Chinese efforts in reusability and prepares the Mengzhou vehicle for a planned orbital test and rendezvous with Tiangong later this year.
Key Takeaways
- Test date and site: The mission launched from Wenchang Space Launch Site on February 11, 2026 (local time) and concluded with a splashdown in the South China Sea.
- Booster configuration: The reusable test booster used seven kerosene-fueled YF-100K engines on its first stage; CASC reported successful recovery after an in‑flight abort test.
- Mengzhou spacecraft: Mengzhou, a 26‑metric‑ton lunar-capable capsule, completed the abort and splashdown test ahead of its first orbital flight later in 2026.
- Long March 10 family: The full-size Long March 10 is a three‑core vehicle with 21 first-stage engines and a quoted capacity of up to 70 metric tons to low‑Earth orbit (LEO).
- Long March 10A role: The Long March 10A is being developed as an LEO-optimized variant with a single reusable first-stage booster that will support Mengzhou’s planned rendezvous with Tiangong.
- Industry context: At least 10 Chinese companies are actively developing reusable launch systems, and multiple domestic vehicles have already attempted recoverable boosters this season.
- Recent domestic launches: In December 2025, Zhuque‑3 and Long March 12A reached orbit but their boosters missed planned downrange landings, underscoring the development challenge.
- International context: The test occurs as NASA prepares a crewed lunar loop mission for March 2026 and as global players race to mature lunar transport and reusability technologies.
Background
China has been accelerating both crewed lunar ambitions and reusable‑rocket development in parallel. Mengzhou — literally “dream vessel” in Chinese — is designed as a crew-capable lunar spacecraft and is scheduled for an initial orbital demonstration flight this year, including a planned docking with the Tiangong station in low‑Earth orbit. That orbital test will use a Long March 10A, a variant of the heavy Long March 10 that aims to combine a reusable first stage with an expendable upper stage for LEO operations and station support.
The Long March 10 full configuration comprises three first‑stage boosters joined together and a total of 21 engines, giving it a reported payload capacity of roughly 70 metric tons to LEO and enough energy to send a 26‑metric‑ton Mengzhou to lunar trajectories. Reusable technology has been a growing focus in China’s state and private sectors; at least ten companies are known to be developing reusable systems, with tests ranging from vertical hop trials to full‑scale booster recovery attempts.
Main Event
The February 11 test combined an in‑flight abort profile for the Mengzhou capsule with a recovery attempt for the Long March 10 booster. After liftoff from Wenchang, the vehicle executed planned abort procedures that jettisoned the capsule, which then completed a controlled splashdown recovery in the South China Sea. Photographs and agency releases show the capsule afloat and later retrieved by recovery teams.
Following the abort event, the Long March 10 first stage conducted a reentry and descent sequence intended to demonstrate reusable‑boost recovery technologies. CASC reported that the booster demonstrated multiple engine restart capabilities and successful high‑altitude ignition during the reentry phase, two technical hurdles central to routine booster reuse. Recovery teams retrieved the booster hardware, which CASC said will inform subsequent full‑profile flight tests.
The test also evaluated navigation and thermal‑management systems for reentry. According to the state contractor, the vehicle operated in complex force and thermal environments and used precision guidance during descent. The combined nature of the experiment — marrying a crewed‑vehicle abort to a reusable booster return — was highlighted by Chinese agencies as an efficient way to gather cross‑cutting data for both lunar and reusable programs.
Analysis & Implications
Technically, demonstrating engine restarts and controlled high‑altitude ignition during reentry is a meaningful milestone for reusability. Multiple‑restart reliability matters for a booster that must perform deorbit burns, control reentry heating loads, and then relight for a soft landing or controlled recovery. If those capabilities are repeatedly validated in follow‑on flights, China could reduce per‑launch hardware costs and increase launch cadence for LEO missions.
Strategically, pairing the Mengzhou abort test with a booster recovery trial signals Beijing’s intent to advance lunar transport and lower‑cost access to space simultaneously. Mengzhou’s planned orbital test and Tiangong rendezvous will exercise life‑support, docking interfaces and orbital operations that are prerequisites for future crewed lunar missions. At the same time, reusable first stages could free up launch capacity for larger or more frequent lunar support missions.
Economically and industrially, success will influence both state and private actors in China. A recovered and reusable Long March 10 booster strengthens CASC’s leadership claim in domestic reusability efforts and raises the bar for private companies pursuing recoverable systems. However, translating a recovered demonstrator into a routine, rapid‑turn reuse model requires repeated flights, refurbishment workflows, and a mature supply chain—areas that currently lag the operational tempo demonstrated by mature providers elsewhere.
Comparison & Data
| Vehicle | First‑stage / configuration | Quoted LEO capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long March 10 (full) | Three first‑stage cores, 21 engines total | ~70 metric tons | Designed for deep‑space and lunar missions, can send 26 t Mengzhou to Moon |
| Long March 10A | Single first‑stage booster, reusable | Optimized for LEO (quoted payload unspecified) | Planned for orbital tests and Tiangong docking missions |
| Falcon 9 (for context) | Single‑core reusable first stage | ~22.8 metric tons | Operational reusable workflow established by SpaceX (U.S.) |
The table highlights scale differences: Long March 10’s quoted 70‑ton LEO capacity places it in a heavier class than commonly flown medium vehicles, while Long March 10A represents a shift toward reusable LEO operations. Comparable Western systems such as Falcon 9 emphasize rapid reuse and high flight cadence; China’s program is now testing the fundamental technical primitives that would be required to move toward similar operational models.
Reactions & Quotes
“The flight test further evaluated several key technologies, including the reliability of multiple engine restarts and high‑altitude ignition during the rocket’s reentry phase,”
China Aerospace and Science Technology Corporation (state contractor)
CASC framed the recovery as a preparatory step for “subsequent full‑profile flight tests,” highlighting that the agency views hardware retrieval and post‑flight analysis as the next phase in validating reusability.
“The Mengzhou capsule splashed down in the South China Sea after the in‑flight abort test.”
China Manned Space Agency (agency photo/press material)
Agency imagery and captions emphasized the capsule’s intact recovery, which is important for crew safety validation and for refining capsule recovery procedures for future crewed tests.
Unconfirmed
- Whether the Long March 10A will reach routine, rapid turnaround reuse comparable to established providers remains unconfirmed; CASC described further “full‑profile tests” but did not publish a timeline.
- Exact refurbishment time and cost per reuse for recovered Long March 10 hardware have not been disclosed by officials and remain unknown.
- Technical details on landing mode (propulsive vertical landing vs. controlled splash recovery and mid‑sea retrieval) for the Long March 10 booster were not fully specified in agency releases.
Bottom Line
China’s February 11, 2026 combined test demonstrated two interlocking capabilities: a crewed‑vehicle abort and an initial reusable‑booster recovery. The operation provides concrete engineering data on engine restarts, high‑altitude ignition during reentry and precision navigation—capabilities central to both safe crew transport and routine reuse.
While this flight marks measurable progress, turning a recovered demonstrator into an economical, high‑cadence reusable system will require repeated successful recoveries, streamlined refurbishment, and supply‑chain adjustments. Observers should watch subsequent full‑profile flight tests, the planned Mengzhou orbital demonstration and follow‑on booster flights to assess whether China can move from isolated successes to sustained operational reuse.
Sources
- Ars Technica — news reporting on the February 11, 2026 test and agency statements