China's Long March-5B rocket engine passes test run

(ECNS) -- China conducted a successful calibration test run of its high-thrust oxygen-hydrogen rocket engine Monday, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

The engine, designed for the core and first stage of the Long March-5B carrier rocket, performed well in the test run and will be added to the final assembly of the rocket to carry out launch missions of experimental modules of China's space station in 2022.

The Long March-5B series carrier rocket will send Wentian and Mengtian, two experimental modules, to space. The engine will operate for about 500 seconds during launch missions.

The test run aims to determine the parameters of the engine and possible malfunctions.

In 2022, China plans to launch the Wentian and Mengtian experimental modules, the Shenzhou manned spacecraft and cargo spacecraft. China will also complete the in-orbit construction of its space station and build a national space laboratory that operates stably in orbit, according to the China Manned Space Agency.