China Outlines Timeline for Crewed Moon Landing by 2030 with Two Long March 10 Launches

China's Upcoming Lunar Mission

According to НВ — Техно: China has revealed a detailed schedule for missions leading up to its first crewed Moon landing, aiming to achieve this milestone by 2030. At the Seventh Conference on Manned Spaceflight held in Beijing, Chinese officials shared plans involving two launches of the Long March 10 rocket. The initial launch will send the Lanyue lunar lander to the Moon, followed by a second launch carrying astronauts aboard the Mengzhou spacecraft.

Once both spacecraft rendezvous and dock in lunar orbit, the crew will transfer to the lander. Two astronauts will then descend to the Moon’s surface, while a third remains onboard the orbiter. The mission’s first phase includes an uncrewed orbital flight of the Long March 10A rocket with the Mengzhou spacecraft, scheduled for 2027. Demonstration flights targeting lunar operations are planned for 2028 and 2029.

Mission Development and Context

Last year, the Lanyue module successfully completed simulated landing and takeoff tests, while the Long March 10 rocket family and Mengzhou spacecraft underwent additional trials. This preparation marks China’s commitment to a new chapter in lunar exploration, positioning itself as a major contender in space. For context, during the Apollo program from 1969 to 1972, the US landed astronauts on the Moon using a single Saturn V rocket launch. Currently, NASA’s Artemis program is preparing to return humans to the lunar surface, with its timeline dependent on developing new landers.

China’s expanding lunar ambitions highlight intensifying global competition in space exploration, particularly with the United States, which also plans crewed missions to the Moon. The rigorous testing and mission preparations underscore China’s determination to become a leader in space research, a development that could significantly influence international cooperation in this domain.

As China sets its sights on the Moon, the global landscape of space exploration is evolving rapidly. In parallel, Japan's ambitious MMX mission aims to gather soil samples from Phobos, underscoring the competitive nature of lunar and planetary exploration among leading nations. This highlights the increasing stakes in the race for space supremacy, as each country seeks to make its mark in the cosmos.