Yan Hongsen, an 11-year-old from Zhejiang, China, has emerged as an online sensation after he wrote 600 lines of code to build a rocket. Hongsen, who taught himself programming, physics, and chemistry, is now known as “Rocket Boy”. He is a Primary Five student from Zhejiang province in eastern China.

According to reports, Yan's fascination with space ignited at the tender age of four when he witnessed a rocket launch. In June 2023, he launched his first rocket and named it Sen Xing, which means “moving forward”. It symbolises his desire to reach greater heights in aerospace.

Shortly after the rocket ascended, its booster failed to deploy its parachute after separation. However, the remaining components also sustained damage, leading to its crash. Unfazed, Yan collected the broken pieces without displaying any melancholy and began examining what had gone wrong.

''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,'' he said.

With the help of social media, the young prodigy has amassed over 440,000 followers by sharing his progress toward rocket development. His parents have been helpful as well, turning their living room into a studio for rocket research.