BEIJING: China has launched a high-thrust oxyhydrogen rocket engine in preparation for the upcoming launches of space station lab modules, its maker said on Wednesday.
The engine that completed a 520-second test has been designed for the core stage of the Long March-5 carrier rocket series to be used to launch two lab modules of China's orbiting Tiangong space station this year, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
The rocket engine developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation will undergo over 20 more experimental tasks to further test its performance, the company said.
China plans to have six more missions, including the launch of the Wentian and Mengtian lab modules, two cargo spacecraft, and two crewed spaceships in 2022 to complete the construction of the space station, the report said.