China Reveals How it Plans to Put Astronauts on the Moon by 2030
Chinese officials have revealed new details about their plans for a manned lunar mission, aiming to be the second nation to put citizens on the moon, with Zhang Hailian, deputy chief engineer of the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), sharing the preliminary plan at an aerospace summit in Wuhan, according to state-run news agency Xinhua.
The mission, scheduled before 2030, is part of a project to establish a lunar research station, focusing on facility construction, moon exploration tasks, and experiments, as stated by Zhang.
According to state-run Global Times, two launch vehicles will send a moon surface lander and manned spacecraft into lunar orbit, where they will dock, allowing Chinese astronauts on the spacecraft to enter the lander for descent to the moon’s surface.
Global Times reported that while on the moon, the astronauts will conduct “scientific exploration” and collect samples before leaving in the lander and reuniting with the spacecraft in orbit for the return journey to Earth.
In preparation for the mission, Chinese researchers are actively developing necessary equipment, including moon suits, manned lunar rovers, manned spaceships, and moon landers, as reported by Xinhua.
The number of astronauts planned for the mission was not disclosed in the state media reports.
This lunar mission marks the latest milestone in China’s ambitious space program, which has seen significant advancements in recent years.
China entered the space race relatively late, launching its first satellite in 1970 after the United States had already landed astronauts on the moon; however, it has rapidly made progress since then.
In 2013, China successfully landed a rover on the moon, becoming the third country to achieve this feat, with Chinese leader Xi Jinping highlighting that “the space dream is part of the dream to make China stronger.”
Under Xi’s leadership, China has invested billions in its space program, estimated at about $5.8 billion in 2019 by consulting firm Euroconsult, although official public figures are not available.
China made history in 2019 by sending a rover to the far side of the moon, and in 2020, it became the third country to successfully collect rock samples from the moon.
Additionally, China has been constructing its own Tiangong space station over the past few years, completing it in November. The station serves as the second operational orbital outpost alongside the International Space Station (ISS), which Chinese astronauts have been excluded from due to US political objections and legislative restrictions.
With the ISS expected to conclude operations in 2030, Tiangong could become the sole remaining outpost. China has expressed its desire to collaborate with international partners and host experiments from other countries on its space station.
