Shenzhou-18 Rocket Fueling Innovation

Homegrown innovations in China have been elevating the safety and efficiency of rocket fueling for the country’s leading-edge space program as it gears up for the upcoming Shenzhou-18 crewed space mission.

Launching from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the country’s northwest, the mission will send three Chinese astronauts to the Tiangong space station in the coming days to relieve the Shenzhou-17 astronauts of their duty.Fueling rockets is a critical yet perilous step in launch campaigns, as the highly flammable and explosive nature of the fuel demands meticulous care.

That means enhanced techniques are especially vital for crewed missions, but also for the whole of China’s ambitious 100-rocket launch schedule this year.