What is China preparing to put people on the Moon?

With the goal of putting a man on the Moon by 2030, China made many improvements to existing vehicles and developed new equipment.

Simulation of Long March 10 rocket launch. Photo: CMG

Rocket propulsion

The next-generation rocket is called Long March 10 with two versions with and without booster propulsion. Both include the first, second, and third floors, an escape tower and a protective cover.

The version with enhanced propulsion will bring the lunar lander and spacecraft to lunar transit orbit. This version is 92 m high with a take-off weight of 2,678 tons, significantly more powerful than China's most powerful rocket today, the Long March 5 with a takeoff weight of about 800 tons and a thrust of more than 1,000 tons.

The new rocket stage has a diameter of 5 meters and the booster booster has the same diameter, according to Rong Yi, chief designer of the Long March 2F booster. "The first priority is the ability to carry a large amount of weight, which is essential for a crewed lunar mission. So we expect the rocket to carry a 27-ton payload into lunar transit orbit or 70 tons to low Earth orbit, three times heavier than the cargo Long March 5 can carry," she said.

The enhanced, cost-effective, non-propulsion version is designed for missions to the space station. The first stage of the rocket is expected to be recyclable.

China will conduct a number of crewless test missions before Long March 10 is put into service for its first manned mission, scheduled for 2027.

The spaceship simulator consists of the top escape tower, the middle revolving compartment, and the bottom instrument compartment. Photo: China Manned Space Engineering Office

New man-carrying spaceship

Development of a new passenger train is also underway. The ship adopts a modular design, meaning it can be assembled with many parts for different purposes, regardless of whether it is performing missions in low Earth orbit or in deep space. The new spacecraft includes an escape tower, a reentry (returning to the atmosphere) capsule and an instrument bay.

The crew will stay and control the spacecraft in the regiosphere. The escape tower can separate the respirator compartment from the rocket if the take-off process fails, protecting the safety of the crew. The instrument bay provides propulsion and power for the spacecraft. The craft weighs about 26 tons and can carry three astronauts, according to Zhang Hailian, deputy designer of China's Crew Space Program.

Zhang revealed that China is also considering developing a spacecraft for low Earth orbit based on current research. "It will carry four to seven passengers, facilitating space tourism. The endosphere, escape tower and spacecraft will remain almost unchanged, except for the instrument compartment," he said.

Landing station simulation with propulsion (left) and lunar rover (right). Photo: China Manned Space Engineering Office

Moon Landing Station

The lander weighs about 26 tons, including a lunar module and a propulsion module. It can bring two astronauts to the surface of the Moon. The lunar module is the capsule, while the propulsion module helps to perform braking near the surface, causing the station to slow down for a gentle landing. "This vehicle is extremely weight-sensitive so we needed to keep it light with an integrated design," says Zhang.

The landing station uses a lightweight design to increase structural efficiency, while also providing power redundancy. The station is also capable of autonomous flight. The job of the station, Zhang explained, is to bring astronauts from orbit around the Moon to the surface, and then back into orbit.

Simulate a mobile laboratory on the Moon. Photo: China Manned Space Engineering Office

Exploration vehicle and mobile laboratory

Weighing 200 kg, the rover will be the transport for up to two astronauts to carry out research missions on the Moon. "Astronauts can collect soil and rock samples and conduct experiments on the Moon within 10 kilometers," Zhang said.

In addition to the rover, China also plans to put a mobile laboratory on the Moon, which can move autonomously over a wide range, according to Zhang. The crew may also be in it for a short time.

"In the future, maybe we can look at building facilities using lunar resources to expand the research station on the Moon. It's a primitive idea, more steps are needed to verify it. whether it works or not," Zhang said.