New Wenchang lunar pad completes first Long March 10 test

by Riko Seibo
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Mar 09, 2026
At the future departure gate for Chinas crewed lunar journeys at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern island province of Hainan, personnel in blue uniforms have been carrying out post launch operations around a newly built tower dedicated to human missions to the Moon. The tower and its associated systems are being checked after the facility handled its first launch.

The new launch pad was constructed specifically for Chinas crewed lunar missions and supported its debut mission on Feb. 11. That test combined a low altitude demonstration and verification flight of the Long March 10 carrier rocket with a maximum dynamic pressure abort flight test of the new generation crewed spacecraft Mengzhou.

According to Di Baojun of the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site, engineers have newly built both the technical area and the launch area for the crewed lunar missions. The recent mission also served as a comprehensive trial of the entire new facility, verifying the flame trenchs ability to handle rocket exhaust, the resistance of concrete structures to ablation, the performance of a high flow water spray system, and the teams post test processing procedures.

Wenchang lies at 19 degrees north latitude and is currently Chinas lowest latitude spaceport. The location provides a wide range of launch azimuths, higher payload efficiency for launch vehicles, fewer constraints on transporting large rocket components, and safe downrange debris drop zones, making it suitable for high lift carrier rockets needed for lunar missions.

Construction of the crewed lunar mission project at Wenchang began in April 2024. In less than two years, a white launch tower about 120 meters tall, roughly the height of a 40 story building, has risen on site, making it the tallest launch tower in China at present.

The Long March 10 carrier rocket designed for crewed lunar missions reaches a maximum height of 92.5 meters, while the Mengzhou spacecraft is also relatively large. Di explained that the towers height has been matched to the dimensions of these vehicles so that platforms and umbilicals can support assembly, checkout, and launch processing.

Unlike the pad used for Chinas current Shenzhou crewed spacecraft, the new tower for lunar missions does not incorporate a rotating service structure. Di said that because of differences in rocket characteristics, some test and servicing procedures can be completed using the launch platform and umbilical arms alone, removing the need for an enclosed rotating gantry.

The fully open tower design also improves resistance to typhoons and other severe coastal weather, an important factor on tropical Hainan Island. By reducing wind loads on solid surfaces and simplifying the structure, the design better suits the extreme environmental conditions at the site.

Directly beneath the launch pad, a deep flame trench forms another critical element of the new complex. Its role is to channel away the high temperature, high velocity exhaust gases generated when the powerful Long March 10 ignites.

The trench is nearly 30 meters deep and can efficiently divert exhaust corresponding to a thrust of more than 2,600 tonnes. Di said the associated water spray system can release almost 1,000 tonnes of cooling water in 15 seconds to protect structures, reduce acoustic loads, and manage thermal stresses during liftoff.

Di added that construction of the tower, test facilities, and supporting infrastructure has now entered the equipment installation and finishing stages. All construction work on the crewed lunar mission complex at Wenchang is expected to be completed in the second half of this year.