China is advancing its lunar exploration agenda by preparing prototypes for all technical assets involved in its upcoming crewed moon landing mission targeted for 2030. As noted by Yang Liwei, Deputy Chief Designer of the China Manned Space Program, candidates for the mission will be selected from taikonauts who have previously flown to the Tiangong space station. Key components of the mission include the crewed spacecraft “Shenzhou,” the landing module “Lanyue,” lunar rovers, and specialized spacesuits. Planned operations encompass scientific experiments for both uncrewed and crewed flights. The mission will employ two launch vehicles to place the spacecraft and landing module into lunar orbit, facilitating a docking maneuver before the taikonauts descend to the lunar surface using the descent module, where they will explore via rover. This initiative aligns with China’s broader collaboration with Russia in lunar research and the establishment of an International Scientific Lunar Station, underlining the strategic importance of international partnerships in advancing space exploration capabilities.
