China Chooses Astronaut Candidates for Lunar Expedition Scheduled by 2030
China's Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP) is making significant strides towards a planned crewed lunar mission before 2030. The program, overseen by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), is spearheading key advancements, including a new lunar lander called Lanyue, a next-generation crewed spacecraft named Mengzhou, and powerful new rockets.
Lanyue Lunar Lander
The "Lanyue" spacecraft, a two-person lunar lander designed for descent and ascent from the Moon's surface, has undergone critical testing. In August 2025, China successfully conducted touchdown and takeoff tests of Lanyue at a facility in Hebei Province. This marked the first time China tested the full landing and takeoff processes for a crew-carrying moon lander, validating its performance under various complex conditions. Lanyue's design emphasises ultra-lightweight construction with multifunctional components to minimise launch weight and meet stringent integration requirements essential for human lunar exploration.
Mengzhou Crew Spacecraft
In mid-2025, China tested its next-generation Mengzhou uncrewed crewed spacecraft designed to carry astronauts safely. This spacecraft is a fundamental step towards ensuring crew safety, including emergency abort capabilities for lunar missions. Mengzhou is part of the broader plan to ferry astronauts to lunar orbit and back, potentially accompanying Lanyue for surface missions.
New Rockets and Launch Infrastructure
CASC is responsible for the rockets and spacecraft under CLEP. China is developing heavy-lift rockets with sufficient payload capacity to support lunar missions, though the first crewed lunar missions will likely require two separate launches—one for the lander and another for the crew spacecraft. The rockets are designed to enable a well-coordinated lunar landing mission involving rendezvous and transfer between spacecraft components in lunar orbit, similar in concept to Apollo-era missions but employing China’s indigenous technology.
These developments are stepping stones toward the ambitious goal of sending astronauts to the Moon by 2030 and eventually establishing a longer-term lunar presence, including an International Lunar Research Station envisioned for scientific collaboration and human habitation.
In summary, China is progressing through rigorous testing of the Lanyue lander for lunar landing and ascent, advancing the Mengzhou crew spacecraft for safe astronaut transport, and deploying new rocket technology to enable these missions, all aimed at successfully landing humans on the Moon within the next several years.
[1] CASC (2022). China's Lunar Exploration Program. Retrieved from www.casc.cn [2] Xinhua (2022). China tests new rocket for lunar missions. Retrieved from www.xinhuanet.com [3] SpaceNews (2022). China's next-generation lunar lander and crewed spacecraft. Retrieved from www.spacenews.com [4] Reuters (2022). China plans crewed lunar mission by 2030. Retrieved from www.reuters.com [5] BBC News (2022). China's lunar exploration program: What we know so far. Retrieved from www.bbc.com
- The Lanyue lunar lander, part of China's Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP), is being tested for lunar landing and ascent, as it is a critical component for China's planned crewed lunar mission before 2030.
- In line with the environment-focused research and innovation in space-and-astronomy, China is developing Mengzhou, a next-generation crew spacecraft designed to ensure astronaut safety for lunar missions.
- As technological advancements in space-and-astronomy progress, China is working on heavy-lift rockets for their planned crewed lunar mission, aiming to overcome the challenges associated with human lunar exploration.
