China Details Two-Launch Plan for Crewed Moon Landing Targeted Before 2030
The proposed mission would send the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft and Lanyue lander separately to the Moon before docking in lunar orbit.
China has outlined a more detailed technical plan for its first crewed lunar landing mission, with the country preparing to use two separate rocket launches and a rendezvous in lunar orbit as it pursues its goal of sending astronauts to the Moon before 2030.
The plan was presented by Wang Xiang, deputy chief designer of China's manned space program and chief designer of its lunar exploration program, at the seventh Manned Space Symposium in Beijing on October 31. The latest details were reported by Chinese state media on November 1 and provide a clearer picture of how the mission is expected to operate.
According to Xinhua, carried by China Central Television, China will adopt a "two launches, lunar orbit rendezvous" architecture. Under this approach, two Long March-10 rockets will separately send the Lanyue lunar lander and the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft toward the Moon.
The two spacecraft will meet and dock in lunar orbit. Astronauts will then transfer from Mengzhou into the Lanyue lander, which will carry them down to the lunar surface. After completing their planned work, the astronauts will return to lunar orbit and reunite with the crewed spacecraft for the journey back to Earth.
The mission is expected to involve a three-person crew, with two astronauts descending to the lunar surface while the third remains aboard the spacecraft in lunar orbit, according to City News Service.
The architecture separates the functions of the spacecraft and lunar lander. Mengzhou is designed to transport astronauts, while Lanyue is intended to support descent to and ascent from the lunar surface. This approach allows the two systems to be developed and tested separately before being integrated during the mission.
Wang said the architecture is consistent with China's existing technical capabilities and infrastructure. Separate development of the spacecraft and lander could also help standardize production and support the development of a longer-term family of lunar exploration vehicles.
The program involves several major systems, including the Long March-10 launch vehicle, the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft and the Lanyue lunar lander. Xinhua reported that development of these systems has been progressing, with several major tests already completed.
These include an emergency escape test for the Mengzhou spacecraft, a landing and takeoff test for the Lanyue lander, and low-altitude demonstration and validation work for the Long March-10 rocket.
The tests are important because a crewed lunar mission involves a complex sequence of operations. The launch vehicles must deliver spacecraft to the correct trajectories, the vehicles must rendezvous and dock in lunar orbit, and the lander must safely descend to and take off from the lunar surface.
China's lunar ambitions also build on its earlier robotic exploration missions. The Chang'e program has conducted lunar orbiting, landing and sample-return missions, providing scientific data and engineering experience that can support future crewed exploration.
The country's broader space program has expanded significantly in recent years, including the operation of its Tiangong space station and a series of crewed and uncrewed missions. A crewed lunar landing would represent another major milestone in China's efforts to develop independent human spaceflight capabilities beyond low Earth orbit.
The program nevertheless faces substantial technical challenges. Lunar missions require reliable life-support systems, radiation protection, navigation, communications and precision landing capabilities. Astronauts must also be able to operate safely in the Moon's harsh environment, where extreme temperatures, dust and reduced gravity create difficult working conditions.
China has said that future lunar exploration should proceed in stages, building scientific knowledge and technical capabilities before moving toward more extensive resource utilization. The immediate objective remains to demonstrate the ability to land astronauts safely and conduct scientific work on the lunar surface.
If the target is achieved, China would become only the second country to land humans on the Moon. The mission would also add a new dimension to international competition and cooperation in lunar exploration, where multiple countries are developing plans for future missions.