Self-Taught 11-Year-Old Prodigy Codes 600 Lines To Build Rocket

An 11-year-old prodigy from China, Yan Hongsen, has gained recognition for his remarkable self-taught skills in programming, physics, and chemistry, which led him to write 600 lines of code to build a rocket. Hongsen, who has been nicknamed “Rocket Boy,” is a fifth-grade student, according to reports.

The South China Morning Post reveals that Hongsen has been sharing his progress on Douyin, a Chinese social media platform.

His fascination with rockets and astronomy began at the age of four after witnessing the launch of the Long March-2 rocket at a launch center.

Starting with an online programming course during kindergarten, Hongsen also taught himself physics and chemistry through books, online videos, and discussions with astronomy enthusiasts.

His parents, recognizing his enthusiasm, supported him fully, even converting their living room into a rocket research studio.

Hongsen initiated the construction of his first homemade rocket in August 2022. By June of the following year, he launched the rocket, but it encountered problems and crashed shortly after takeoff.

After recovering and analyzing the rocket’s debris, Hongsen reported to the South China Morning Post, “The nitrocellulose didn’t explode as expected; the spring and lithium battery were also damaged. Maybe there is still an issue with the rocket’s body connection.”

His father described the launch experience, saying, “For me, although it crashed, the rocket’s first flight was still a success. I was extremely excited and thrilled, while my son remained very calm.”

Hongsen is now working on modifying his second rocket model and has recently written over 600 lines of code for its flight control system. With ambitions for the future, he plans to enroll in one of China’s seven elite civilian defense institutes and hopes to develop a real rocket for China’s space exploration efforts.