China plans to land astronauts on moon before 2030, another step in what looks like a new space race
China has announced its plan to land astronauts on the moon before 2030, bringing their space program front and center of the world’s attention. The news was confirmed by the Deputy Director of the Chinese Manned Space Agency, Lin Xiqiang, at a news conference held on Monday. While no specific date was given, the statement indicates an ambitious timeline for China’s space program. The US is also competing in this new space race, with plans to put astronauts back on the lunar surface by 2025.
China will be expanding its orbiting crewed space station with an additional module, according to Lin. A new three-person crew will head to the Tiangong space station on Tuesday, aboard the Shenzhou 16 craft, and will briefly overlap with the three astronauts that are already aboard. It will be the first time a civilian payload expert, Gui Haichao, joins the mission commander Jing Haipeng and spacecraft engineer Zhu Yangzhu on the mission.
China completed the Tiangong space station in November 2022, with the third of three modules centered on the Tianhe living and command module. This achievement follows China being excluded from the International Space Station, leading to their desire to build their own station.
As the US and China compete, space is increasingly becoming an area of competition for diplomatic and military influence. Both countries have landed rovers on Mars, with China planning to land a spacecraft on an asteroid. The US is also aiming for permanent crewed bases on the moon, with the south pole’s permanently shadowed craters which are believed to be filled with frozen water. This comes with questions about rights and interests on the moon’s surface.
FAQs:
What is China’s goal for the new space race?
China’s goal is to land astronauts on the moon before 2030.
What is the US’s goal for the new space race?
The US aims to put astronauts back on the lunar surface by the end of 2025, and plans for permanent crewed bases on the moon are also being considered.
What is China’s Tiangong space station?
China completed the Tiangong space station in November 2022, with the third of three modules centered on the Tianhe living and command module. It was built after China was excluded from the International Space Station.
Who is joining the new three-person crew to the Tiangong station?
Gui Haichao, a civilian payload expert, is joining mission commander Jing Haipeng and spacecraft engineer Zhu Yangzhu on the mission.
What other achievements have China made in space?
China has landed rovers on Mars, and Beijing plans to follow the US in landing a spacecraft on an asteroid. China completed its first manned space mission in 2003, making it the third country, after the former Soviet Union and the US, to put a person into space.
China Aims to Send Astronauts to the Moon by 2030, Signaling Another Step in a Potential New Era of Space Exploration Competition.
China has announced plans to land astronauts on the moon by 2030, in what is being seen as another step forward in the new space race. The US aims to put astronauts on the moon once again by the end of 2025. At a news conference on Monday, Deputy Director of the Chinese Manned Space Agency, Lin Xiqiang confirmed the country’s goal, though no specific date was mentioned. Lin also announced plans to expand China’s orbiting crewed space station with an additional module. On Tuesday, a new three-person crew will head to the Tiangong station aboard the Shenzhou 16 craft, including a civilian for the first time. The previous crew members have all been members of the People’s Liberation Army. Plans for permanent, crewed bases on the moon by both the US and China raise questions about rights and interests on the lunar surface and the US law restricts cooperation between the two countries’ space programs.