China outlines plans for moonshot it hopes to land by 2030
Chinese space officials detailed plans for a 2030 crewed lunar mission at the Seventh Manned Space Symposium. The mission will use two Long March 10 rockets to launch the Lanyue lander and Mengzhou crew capsule, which will meet in orbit around the Moon. Two of three taikonauts aboard Mengzhou will transfer to Lanyue to descend to the lunar surface. China plans near-Earth orbit tests and an uncrewed lunar mission before attempting the crewed landing. This effort is part of China's 15th five-year-plan (2026-2030). China previously postponed its Chang'e 7 robotic mission in August due to launch criteria concerns.
Key points
- China targets 2030 for crewed Moon landing using Lanyue lander and Mengzhou capsule
- Two rockets will launch separately and rendezvous in lunar orbit; two crew members will descend
- Uncrewed test missions planned in coming years before crewed attempt
- Initiative part of China's 15th five-year-plan and marks 70th anniversary of space program
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