Title: China Announces Plans for Manned Mission to the Moon
Date: [Current Date]
China has revealed new details of its ambitious plan to send a manned mission to the moon, as the country aims to become the second nation to achieve this feat. Zhang Hailian, deputy chief engineer of the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), disclosed the preliminary plan at an aerospace summit in Wuhan on Wednesday.
According to the plan, China intends to establish a lunar research station through this mission, which is expected to take place before 2030. The objective is to investigate the construction of such a facility and conduct lunar exploration tasks and experiments. The state-run Global Times reported that two launch vehicles will be used to deploy a lander to the lunar surface, while a manned spacecraft will be sent into lunar orbit. Following this, the spacecraft and lander will dock with each other, allowing Chinese astronauts to transfer to the lander for descent to the moon’s surface.
During their time on the moon, the astronauts will collect samples and engage in scientific exploration. Once their mission is completed, they will re-enter the lander and join the awaiting spacecraft in lunar orbit to return to Earth.
To prepare for this expedition, Chinese researchers are actively developing the necessary equipment, including lunar suits, crewed moon rovers, crewed spacecraft, and lunar landers, according to Xinhua news agency.
Currently, the number of astronauts planned for the lunar mission has not been disclosed by Chinese authorities.
China’s lunar mission marks another significant milestone in the country’s advancing space program. Despite entering the space race relatively late, China has exhibited rapid progress in recent years. In 2013, China became the third country to successfully land a rover on the moon. Chinese leader Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of a strong space program, stating that “the space dream is part of the dream of making China stronger.”
Under Xi’s leadership, China has allocated billions of dollars to its space program. While precise figures are undisclosed, it is estimated that China’s investment in space exploration was around $5.8 billion in 2019, according to consultancy Euroconsult.
China has also achieved other notable milestones, including its successful landing on the moon’s far side in 2019 and the collection of rock samples from the lunar surface in 2020. More recently, China completed the construction of its own space station, Tiangong, in November 2021. With the International Space Station expected to conclude operations in 2030, Tiangong is poised to become the sole remaining outpost in space. China has expressed willingness to collaborate with international partners and host experiments from other countries on its space station.
As China continues to make strides in space exploration, its upcoming manned mission to the moon signifies a significant step forward in the country’s space ambitions.