In China's Zhejiang province, an 11-year-old boy named Yan Hongsen also called "Rocket boy" has become an internet sensation after building his own rocket. Yan demonstrated more than 600 lines of code he built for the flight control system of his upcoming rocket in a recent video on Douyin, a popular video sharing platform in China, where he has around 440,000 followers.
In August 2022, Yan embarked on a project to build a solid-fuel rocket, which he named Sen Xing meaning "moving forward." After ten months of work, Yan launched his creation in June 2023. Although the rocket failed to deploy its parachute and crashed, Yan's determination remained unshaken. He carefully analysed the failure, identifying issues with the rocket's components and immediately began working on a second version.
Despite the setback, Yan's efforts have drawn widespread admiration. His father expressed pride in his son's achievements and continues to seek expert advice to help Yan overcome technical challenges.
Yan's journey began at the age of four, when a visit to a rocket launch centre sparked his fascination with space. With the support of his parents, who transformed their living room into a rocket lab, Yan immersed himself in programming, physics, and chemistry, teaching himself through online courses and resources.
Yan hopes to study at one of China's seven elite civilian defence institutes and hopes to construct a genuine rocket that China can use to explore space.
