Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

A view of the penumbral stage of the lunar eclipse during a viewing event at Rizal Park in Manila on November 8, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177450146763820221108-lunar-eclipse-luneta-GC-7.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A view of the penumbral stage of the lunar eclipse during a viewing event at Rizal Park in Manila on November 8, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File</span></span></span></div><p>BEIJING, China — Walking on the Moon by 2030, building a lunar base, and then perhaps on to Mars: after 30 years of honing its expertise, China is challenging the United States&#x27; supremacy in spaceflight.</p><p>As US space agency NASA prepares for its crewed lunar flyby mission, Artemis II, we take a look at China&#x27;s ambitions in space:</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>WHAT IS CHINA&#x27;S CREWED PROGRAM?</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>China&#x27;s crewed space program -- known as Project 921 -- was launched on September 21, 1992, aiming to develop its own expertise and space station.</p><p>The program has conducted around 15 crewed missions since the first flight of a Chinese astronaut, Yang Liwei, in 2003.</p><p>Blocked from the International Space Station (ISS) in 2011 by the United States, China built its own orbital hub.</p><p>The Tiangong, or &quot;Heavenly Palace&quot;, space station welcomed its first occupants in 2021.</p><p>Three Chinese astronauts -- known as &quot;taikonauts&quot; -- are currently staying there.</p><p>The station allows China to accumulate crucial experience in spacewalks, docking, maintenance and effects on the body.</p><p>None of China&#x27;s crewed launches have been fatal, and the program is following a long-term roadmap rather than a series of isolated projects.</p><p>&quot;This effectiveness stems from strong political commitment at the highest level of the state, stable funding... and the integration of the entire industrial chain into the project,&quot; said Richard de Grijs, professor of physics and astronomy at Australia&#x27;s Macquarie University.</p><p>&quot;Compared to the Western, and particularly US, approach, where priorities can shift with each political cycle, this model offers clear advantages in terms of predictability and risk management,&quot; he told AFP.</p><p>While China&#x27;s space program has been historically slower, &quot;it won&#x27;t change course at the whim of its leadership either&quot;.</p><div><br/></div><div><span style="background-color:transparent"><strong>WHEN WILL CHINESE ASTRONAUTS LAND ON THE MOON?</strong></span></div><div><br/></div><div><span style="background-color:transparent">The Chinese space agency (CNSA) hopes to put astronauts on the Moon by 2030.</span></div><p>China has already sent several robots to the Moon and brought back lunar samples.</p><p>But a crewed mission requires different equipment, which is currently being tested.</p><p>China is set to conduct a test flight of its new Mengzhou (&quot;Dream Ship&quot;) spacecraft in 2026. Replacing the aging Shenzhou, it will carry astronauts into lunar orbit.</p><p>Engineers are also developing a new ultra-powerful rocket around 90-meters (295-feet) long -- the Long March-10, essential for propelling the spacecraft to the Moon. It made its first low-altitude flight on February 11.</p><p>The Lanyue (&quot;Seize the Moon&quot;) lander, which will transport the astronauts from orbit to the lunar surface, could also make its maiden flight between 2028 and 2029.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DOES CHINA WANT A LUNAR BASE? </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>China hopes to build a basic version of a crewed scientific base, called the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), by 2035.</p><p>The base will be built near the Moon&#x27;s south pole, where water in the form of ice is believed to be present.</p><p>China is collaborating with Russia on the project.</p><p>The base is expected to be built with bricks made on-site from lunar soil using 3D printers. Tested on Earth and on Tiangong, the technique is to be tested on the Moon during the uncrewed Chang&#x27;e-8 mission, scheduled for around 2028.</p><p>The CNSA says it wants to carry out archaeological research into the origin of the Moon, achieve breakthroughs in strategic technologies and exploit lunar resources.</p><p>An expanded version of the base is planned for around 2040.</p><p>China is also developing a constellation of relay satellites around the Moon to communicate between its far side and Earth .</p><div><br/></div><div><span style="background-color:transparent"><strong>IS THIS A RACE WITH THE UNITED STATES? </strong></span></div><div><br/></div><div><span style="background-color:transparent">China never talks about a &quot;Moon race&quot; or competition with the United States.</span></div><p>&quot;They are ambitious for the future of their program and see the Moon as the logical next step, for its own sake, not for any rivalry. I don&#x27;t think it would change anything for them if America wasn&#x27;t going,&quot; said Jonathan McDowell, astrophysicist and space analyst.</p><p>&quot;Having said that,&quot; he added, &quot;the establishment of a lunar base by China would be a real challenge to America&#x27;s ability to establish such a base -- there&#x27;s only a small amount of suitable area near the lunar south pole.&quot;</p><p>For now, China lags behind the United States in terms of crewed flights, according to Chen Lan, a specialist in the Chinese space program.</p><p>NASA&#x27;s Dragon and Orion spacecraft remain superior compared to China&#x27;s Shenzhou, he noted.</p><p>&quot;However, I expect when China realizes manned lunar landing by 2030 with the new spaceship and lunar landing vehicle, it will catch up with the US in the human spaceflight field.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>MARS NEXT? </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>After 2040, the Chinese lunar base will be used to &quot;validate technology and capabilities for a manned mission to Mars&quot;, according to the CNSA.</p><p>Chinese space manufacturing companies and scientists have previously pointed to the Red Planet as a potential destination for astronauts.</p><p>&quot;But I don&#x27;t think that there will be serious plans to Mars before completion of the lunar landing and the initial lunar base,&quot; Chen said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><br/></strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><strong><br/><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wTkZNq_CLTg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-wHLpdH8x7Y?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>After 30 years of honing its expertise, China is challenging the United States' supremacy in spaceflight.</p>

After 30 years of honing its expertise, China is challenging the United States' supremacy in spaceflight.

Moon race: How China is challenging the US

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Moon race: How China is challenging the US

Ludovic Ehret,

Agence France-Presse

Published March 26, 2026 01:07 PM PHT

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