WENCHANG, Hainan, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- At the future "departure gate" for China's crewed lunar journeys at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern island province of Hainan, personnel in blue uniforms bustle around a newly constructed tower, meticulously inspecting and maintaining tens of thousands of components as part of post-launch operations.

This new launch pad, constructed specifically for China's crewed lunar missions, saw its first launch on Feb. 11 with the successful low-altitude demonstration and verification of the Long March-10 carrier rocket, along with the maximum dynamic pressure abort flight test of the new-generation crewed spacecraft Mengzhou.

"We have newly built the technical area and launch area for the crewed lunar missions. This test was also a trial for the entire new facility, primarily verifying the launch pad's flame trench capacity, concrete ablation resistance, high-flow water spray system performance, and our personnel's post-test processing capabilities," said Di Baojun of the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site.

Located at 19 degrees north latitude, the launch site is China's lowest-latitude spaceport. It offers advantages such as a wide range of launch azimuths, high payload efficiency, fewer transportation constraints and safe debris drop zones, making it suitable for launching high-lift carrier rockets.

Construction on the crewed lunar mission project at Wenchang began in April 2024. In less than two years, a white launch tower standing approximately 120 meters tall, equivalent to a 40-story building, has risen on the site, making it the tallest launch tower in China currently.

The Long March-10 carrier rocket to be used for the crewed lunar missions reaches a maximum height of 92.5 meters, and the Mengzhou spacecraft is also relatively large in size. The tower's height is perfectly suited to the dimensions of these vehicles, Di explained.

Unlike the launch pad used for China's current crewed spacecraft, Shenzhou, this new tower dedicated to crewed lunar missions features no rotating service structure.

"Due to the differences in rocket property, some testing procedures can be completed through the launch platform and umbilical arms, eliminating the need for the enclosed rotating service structure. Meanwhile, this fully open tower design enhances typhoon resistance, making it better suited to the extreme coastal weather conditions," Di said.

Located directly beneath the launch pad, the flame trench is a critical infrastructure component of the tower, designed to channel the high-temperature, high-velocity exhaust generated during the ignition of the powerful Long March-10 rocket.

The trench, nearly 30 meters deep, can efficiently divert high-temperature exhaust gases produced by a thrust of over 2,600 tonnes. The accompanying spray system can release nearly 1,000 tonnes of cooling water within 15 seconds, according to Di.

Di added that construction of the tower, test facilities, and supporting infrastructure has now entered the equipment installation and finishing stages, with all construction expected to be completed in the second half of this year. ■