Space race begins: China plans to land astronauts on the Moon before 2030

China plans to land astronauts on the Moon before 2030, marking a new accelerating space race. The United States aims to land astronauts on the Moon by the end of 2025. Lin Xiqiang, Deputy Director of the China Manned Space Program Agency (CMSA), confirmed China’s target at a press conference today, but did not give a firm date. The main goal is to land a man on the Moon before 2030.

China pushes the button for manned Moon journey

In line with this goal of China, technical breakthroughs, planning, research and construction of solutions have already started. Among these works is the Long March 10 launch vehicle, a new generation manned carrier rocket. In addition, the development of a new generation crew spacecraft, lunar lander, lunar suit and other spaceflight products is also included in the program. In the statement, it was stated that the construction of a new launch site and the tests of the related launch facilities are continuing. Additionally, China has sent a new crew to its own space station, the Tiangong Space Station.

China has been quietly working on a lunar lander for several years, and this year it unveiled a visible model of the spacecraft. Based on the five-metre-diameter Long March 5 and dubbed the Long March 10, the low-Earth orbit variant of the rocket is expected to make a test flight in 2027.

Lin said in a statement, “We specialize in key technologies such as scientific exploration of the Moon and performing related technological experiments, Earth-Moon crewed round trips, short stays on the Moon’s surface, and human-robot joint exploration, as well as landing, exploration, sample collection, research and “Completing multiple missions such as return and establishing an independent crewed lunar exploration capability are among the targets,” he said.

According to the crewed landing plan outlined by Lin, the two astronauts will make a six-hour stay on the lunar surface, while the other crew member will stay in a service module in lunar orbit. However, this short stay is linked to a longer term project.

International Lunar Research Base ILRS

China aims to build a permanent base on the Moon by the 2030s, called the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). China is currently seeking members to join an organization set up to coordinate this initiative, which is a parallel development to the US-led Artemis Program and Artemis Accords.

The Chinese government has not yet publicly and officially approved the crewed landing project, possibly because the timeline falls outside the scope of the current Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). However, in the light of current information, it is expected that China will launch 7 launches within the scope of 3 reconnaissance missions until 2028, and then make 5 more flights in the 2030-2040 period for the construction of the base. This base will be a stepping stone for China’s outer space ambitions. As we said, similar plans are also included in the Artemis programs of the USA and NASA.