China Plans To Land Astronauts On Moon Before 2030: China has announced plans to land astronauts on the moon before 2030, in what is seen as another step in the country’s growing space ambitions.
The announcement was made by Deputy Director of the Chinese Manned Space Agency Lin Xiqiang at a news conference on Monday. Lin said that China plans to expand its orbiting crewed space station with an additional module, and that a new three-person crew is scheduled to head to the Tiangong station on Tuesday aboard the Shenzhou 16 craft.
The US also plans to put astronauts back on the lunar surface by the end of 2025, as part of its Artemis program. The Artemis program is named after the Greek goddess of the moon, and it aims to establish a permanent human presence on the lunar surface.
The plans of both China and the US to return to the moon have been met with enthusiasm by space enthusiasts, who see it as a sign of a new space race. The last time humans set foot on the moon was in 1972, and the return of astronauts to the lunar surface would be a major achievement.
The crew also includes a civilian
The fresh crew includes a civilian for the first time. All previous crew members have been in the People’s Liberation Army, the military wing of the country’s ruling Communist Party.
Gui Haichao, a professor at Beijing’s top aerospace research institute, will join mission commander Jing Haipeng and spacecraft engineer Zhu Yangzhu as the payload expert. China completed the Tiangong space station in November with the third of three modules, centered on the Tianhe living and command module.
The new space race is also being seen as a sign of the growing rivalry between China and the US. Both countries are investing heavily in their space programs, and they are competing for dominance in space. The return to the moon is just one part of this competition, and it is likely that the rivalry will continue to intensify in the years to come.
Plans for returning
The plans of China and the US to return to the moon are a major development, and they have the potential to reshape the future of space exploration. The return of astronauts to the lunar surface will be a major achievement, and it will help to pave the way for future missions to Mars and beyond. The new space race is also a sign of the growing rivalry between China and the US, and it is likely that the rivalry will continue to intensify in the years to come.