China set for high-stakes moon program and reusable launch tests to close out 2025

['Andrew Jones', 'More Andrew Jones', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow', 'Class', 'Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus', 'Display Inline', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar', 'Where Img', 'Height Auto Max-Width', 'Vertical-Align Bottom .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar'] SpaceNews 2025-09-30 18:26:32

SYDNEY — China is preparing a series of tests and launches in the final quarter of 2025 crucial to its crewed moon program and commercial rocket plans. So far the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) has conducted two static fires of a shortened first stage test article for the rocket. Reusable launch attempts and rocket debutsChinese launch will also enter a crucial period in the final months of 2025, with multiple new rockets close to debut flights. This follows a first stage launch and powered vertical descent and splashdown test in January at the Eastern Maritime Spaceport at Haiyang, Shandong province. Galactic Energy recently performed a second stage static fire for the Pallas-1.