10, 9, 8 ... rocket test puts China neck and neck with US in moon race

China’s latest rocket test has put the country neck and neck with the US in the race to the moon, with crewed landings before 2030 a realistic goal for both nations, according to analysts. During Wednesday’s eight-minute flight from southern Hainan province, China successfully tested two major components of its crewed lunar system: a mid-air escape of the Mengzhou crew capsule and a full launch, re-entry and splashdown of the moon rocket’s core stage. Rand Simberg, an aerospace engineer and...