On February 11, 2026 Zenk Space completed a static fire test of its ZhiHang-1 rocket at Haiyang.
Meanwhile, Zenk Space just completed a static fire of their ZhiHang-1 rocket at Haiyang Feb 11, 2026 The Long March 10 first stage safely splashed down in a predetermined sea area on February 11, 2026.
Footage showing the deployment of hooking arms of Long March 10 first stage before the splashdown Feb 11, 2026 Xinhua News released exclusive video footage showing the Long March 10 first stage deployment and splashdown.
Footage showing the deployment of hooking arms of Long March 10 first stage before the splashdown Feb 11, 2026 The first stage of China’s Long March 10 deployed hooking arms prior to splashdown.
Footage showing the deployment of hooking arms of Long March 10 first stage before the splashdown Feb 11, 2026 The Long March 10 test vehicle lifted off.
🚀 The moment of Long March 10 (test vehicle) liftoff Feb 11, 2026 The Long March 10 first stage deployed hooking arms prior to splashdown.
🚀 The moment of Long March 10 (test vehicle) liftoff Feb 11, 2026 Footage captured the moment of the Long March 10 test vehicle liftoff.
🚀 The moment of Long March 10 (test vehicle) liftoff Feb 11, 2026 ZhiHang-1 is designed to recover and reuse its main engines similar to United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur.
The static fire of Zenk Space's ZhiHang-1 first stage, a rocket that plans to recover and reuse the main engines like ULA's Vulcan Centaur Feb 11, 2026 ZhiHang-1 is a rocket whose first stage was static fired by Zenk Space.
The static fire of Zenk Space's ZhiHang-1 first stage, a rocket that plans to recover and reuse the main engines like ULA's Vulcan Centaur Feb 11, 2026 Zenk Space completed a static fire of the ZhiHang-1 first stage at Haiyang.
The static fire of Zenk Space's ZhiHang-1 first stage, a rocket that plans to recover and reuse the main engines like ULA's Vulcan Centaur Feb 11, 2026 The Long March 10A first stage splashed down.
Incredible drone footage of the Long March 10A first stage splashdown! 🌊🚀 The recovery ship can be seen standing by very close. I was hoping to see the cable catching mechanism being tested at the same time, but it seems not deployed. Feb 11, 2026 Drone footage captured the Long March 10A first stage splashdown.
Incredible drone footage of the Long March 10A first stage splashdown! 🌊🚀 The recovery ship can be seen standing by very close. I was hoping to see the cable catching mechanism being tested at the same time, but it seems not deployed. Feb 11, 2026 The cable-catching mechanism for the Long March 10A first stage did not appear to be deployed during the splashdown recovery.
Incredible drone footage of the Long March 10A first stage splashdown! 🌊🚀 The recovery ship can be seen standing by very close. I was hoping to see the cable catching mechanism being tested at the same time, but it seems not deployed. Feb 11, 2026 A recovery ship was positioned very close to the Long March 10A first stage splashdown.
Incredible drone footage of the Long March 10A first stage splashdown! 🌊🚀 The recovery ship can be seen standing by very close. I was hoping to see the cable catching mechanism being tested at the same time, but it seems not deployed. Feb 11, 2026 China conducted a Long March 10A first stage recovery test associated with the February 11, 2026 launch campaign.
Video recap of every key moment of the Mengzhou in-flight abort test and Long March 10A first stage recovery test Feb 11, 2026 China completed an in-flight abort test of the Mengzhou spacecraft with liftoff at approximately 03:00 UTC on February 11, 2026.
Video recap of every key moment of the Mengzhou in-flight abort test and Long March 10A first stage recovery test Feb 11, 2026 The Mengzhou in-flight abort test served as a crewed lunar program safety demonstration.
Video recap of every key moment of the Mengzhou in-flight abort test and Long March 10A first stage recovery test Feb 11, 2026 The Long March 10 first stage deployed hooking arms prior to splashdown.
Hooks deployment Feb 11, 2026 A video recording captures the deployment of the Long March 10 first stage hooking arms before splashdown.
Hooks deployment Feb 11, 2026 A combined Mengzhou in-flight abort test and booster high-hop with at-sea recovery test was conducted for China’s next-generation crew launcher.
*Finally* on the day of this test happening, I'm going to write about the combined Mengzhou in-flight abort test (similar to what Orion did in 2019 & Dragon in 2020) & booster high hop & recovery at sea test for China's next generation crew launcher. It all started with this... Feb 11, 2026 A Long March 10 short-tank core with a full set of seven engines completed a static test fire at Wenchang next to its future LC-3 launch pad on February 11, 2026.
*Finally* on the day of this test happening, I'm going to write about the combined Mengzhou in-flight abort test (similar to what Orion did in 2019 & Dragon in 2020) & booster high hop & recovery at sea test for China's next generation crew launcher. It all started with this... Feb 11, 2026 The CZ-10 short test vehicle is a full-scale 1:1 test article intended for a Max-Q test.
Back in last year people noticed such a short test vehicle for the LM-10(A) seems also pretty useful for just more than pad check-out & static test firing. People started to wonder whether this can be used for Mengzhou's IFA and/or LM-10A booster recovery tests. Well then... Feb 11, 2026 The CZ-10 test article on the pad is the same short test vehicle previously used for a static fire test for the LM-10A.
Back in last year people noticed such a short test vehicle for the LM-10(A) seems also pretty useful for just more than pad check-out & static test firing. People started to wonder whether this can be used for Mengzhou's IFA and/or LM-10A booster recovery tests. Well then... Feb 11, 2026 The CZ-10 test article on the pad has an additional mockup installed on top of the short test vehicle.
Back in last year people noticed such a short test vehicle for the LM-10(A) seems also pretty useful for just more than pad check-out & static test firing. People started to wonder whether this can be used for Mengzhou's IFA and/or LM-10A booster recovery tests. Well then... Feb 11, 2026 Launch Complex 3 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site is planned as the departure point for Chinese crewed lunar missions.
...right as I was dealing w/ several Chinese launches on January 15, the test article went back up at LC-3 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, *the* future point of departure for Chinese astronauts to the Moon when that really happens. And there's something else on top... Feb 11, 2026 A close-up image from Wenchang shows a test vehicle at LC-3 that is tentatively identified as a CZ-10.
...right as I was dealing w/ several Chinese launches on January 15, the test article went back up at LC-3 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, *the* future point of departure for Chinese astronauts to the Moon when that really happens. And there's something else on top... Feb 11, 2026 On January 15, a test article was raised back at Launch Complex 3 (LC-3) at the Wenchang Space Launch Site.
...right as I was dealing w/ several Chinese launches on January 15, the test article went back up at LC-3 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site, *the* future point of departure for Chinese astronauts to the Moon when that really happens. And there's something else on top... Feb 11, 2026 A wrapped booster on a multi-axle transporter in the image shows shapes under the tarpaulin that appear to be grid fins and hooks.
Back then people also noticed under the blankets are things that looks like grid fins and hooks. It would be strange if this is just for the in-flight abort, but we all know a high altitude hop test of a LM-10A booster, or sth close, were in the plans. Feb 11, 2026 A high-altitude hop test of an LM-10A booster was planned.
Back then people also noticed under the blankets are things that looks like grid fins and hooks. It would be strange if this is just for the in-flight abort, but we all know a high altitude hop test of a LM-10A booster, or sth close, were in the plans. Feb 11, 2026 The transporter in the image is carrying shipping containers marked "COSCO SHIPPING".
Back then people also noticed under the blankets are things that looks like grid fins and hooks. It would be strange if this is just for the in-flight abort, but we all know a high altitude hop test of a LM-10A booster, or sth close, were in the plans. Feb 11, 2026 One container on the transporter displays the Chinese characters "中国航天".
Back then people also noticed under the blankets are things that looks like grid fins and hooks. It would be strange if this is just for the in-flight abort, but we all know a high altitude hop test of a LM-10A booster, or sth close, were in the plans. Feb 11, 2026 A forthcoming CZ-10 test is likely a Max-Q abort test.
The nature of the test was however very much conjecture. That at least part of it is the Mengzhou IFA was finally confirmed when the amphibian vehicle explicitly marked as for capsule recovery shown up on Wenchang's beaches some days ago: Feb 11, 2026 The CZ-10 stage recovery barge remains under fitting at a shipyard.
The nature of the test was however very much conjecture. That at least part of it is the Mengzhou IFA was finally confirmed when the amphibian vehicle explicitly marked as for capsule recovery shown up on Wenchang's beaches some days ago: Feb 11, 2026 The amphibious vehicle seen on Wenchang beaches was explicitly marked for capsule recovery and displayed a CMS logo.
The nature of the test was however very much conjecture. That at least part of it is the Mengzhou IFA was finally confirmed when the amphibian vehicle explicitly marked as for capsule recovery shown up on Wenchang's beaches some days ago: Feb 11, 2026 The Mengzhou amphibious capsule recovery ship was observed on Wenchang beaches.
The nature of the test was however very much conjecture. That at least part of it is the Mengzhou IFA was finally confirmed when the amphibian vehicle explicitly marked as for capsule recovery shown up on Wenchang's beaches some days ago: Feb 11, 2026 A booster high-altitude hop test is being combined with recovery operations using CASC's recovery ship.
But the part that this is *also* combining the booster high altitude hop test wasn't apparent until CASC's future recovery ship with the distinctive "arrestor net truss" appeared at Wenchang a week ago: Feb 11, 2026 A vessel identified as 领航者 (Ling Hang Zhe) is described as a CZ-10A first-stage cable recovery barge.
But the part that this is *also* combining the booster high altitude hop test wasn't apparent until CASC's future recovery ship with the distinctive "arrestor net truss" appeared at Wenchang a week ago: Feb 11, 2026 CASC's future recovery ship fitted with a distinctive arrestor-net truss appeared at Wenchang in February 2026.
But the part that this is *also* combining the booster high altitude hop test wasn't apparent until CASC's future recovery ship with the distinctive "arrestor net truss" appeared at Wenchang a week ago: Feb 11, 2026 A cable-tower concept would catch the CZ-10A first stage using a large arrestor net instead of a catching arm.
If you don't understand how this will work, think how Starship Superheavy boosters are caught, except that instead of a catching arm there's a large arrestor net: Feb 11, 2026 SpaceX plans to recover Starship Superheavy boosters by catching them with mechanical arms on a launch tower.
If you don't understand how this will work, think how Starship Superheavy boosters are caught, except that instead of a catching arm there's a large arrestor net: Feb 11, 2026 The leaked mission patch shows vertical Chinese characters on the booster that read 中国航天.
BTW we are still not sure if the ships will actually play an active role in the test - a leaked mission patch seems to indicate a more conservative test of the booster test article splashing down, with the ship just going out to make a dry run. Or this is just artist license... Feb 11, 2026 A leaked mission patch indicates a conservative test plan in which a booster test article splashes down while a ship conducts a dry run.
BTW we are still not sure if the ships will actually play an active role in the test - a leaked mission patch seems to indicate a more conservative test of the booster test article splashing down, with the ship just going out to make a dry run. Or this is just artist license... Feb 11, 2026 A social post proposed the test could be a soft splashdown with a simulated catch on a nearby barge similar to SpaceX Starship Flight 4.
BTW we are still not sure if the ships will actually play an active role in the test - a leaked mission patch seems to indicate a more conservative test of the booster test article splashing down, with the ship just going out to make a dry run. Or this is just artist license... Feb 11, 2026 The leaked mission patch displays the numeral 10 on the booster.
BTW we are still not sure if the ships will actually play an active role in the test - a leaked mission patch seems to indicate a more conservative test of the booster test article splashing down, with the ship just going out to make a dry run. Or this is just artist license... Feb 11, 2026 The leaked mission patch includes a parachute graphic near the descending booster.
BTW we are still not sure if the ships will actually play an active role in the test - a leaked mission patch seems to indicate a more conservative test of the booster test article splashing down, with the ship just going out to make a dry run. Or this is just artist license... Feb 11, 2026 The leaked mission patch depicts a rocket booster descending to the sea with ships and a barge shown nearby.
BTW we are still not sure if the ships will actually play an active role in the test - a leaked mission patch seems to indicate a more conservative test of the booster test article splashing down, with the ship just going out to make a dry run. Or this is just artist license... Feb 11, 2026 The CZ-10 test article was fitted with the Mengzhou capsule for an upcoming Max-Q and booster splashdown recovery test.
The whole flight vehicle with the Mengzhou capsule (somewhere between a "boilerplate" and a full capsule probably) then finally appeared in full form: Feb 11, 2026 The Mengzhou capsule on the CZ-10 test article appears to be intermediate between a boilerplate and a full flight capsule.
The whole flight vehicle with the Mengzhou capsule (somewhere between a "boilerplate" and a full capsule probably) then finally appeared in full form: Feb 11, 2026 The flight vehicle with the Mengzhou capsule appeared in full form on the launch mount.
The whole flight vehicle with the Mengzhou capsule (somewhere between a "boilerplate" and a full capsule probably) then finally appeared in full form: Feb 11, 2026 A person is visible in the upper maintenance arm beside the CZ-10 test vehicle, providing human scale.
The inclusion of grid fins and (especially) hooks seems to indicate a genuine catch attempt of this vehicle (which may go pass the Karman Line), which would be interesting to see the very least: Feb 11, 2026