China is ramping up its space-exploration ambitions, and its latest announcement makes that clear. The country says it is firmly on track to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030, with key technologies and programs already in motion.
According to a spokesperson for the China Manned Space Program, the development of major components such as the Long March 10 heavy-lift rocket, specialised lunar landing suits, and lunar exploration vehicles is progressing smoothly. The spokesperson emphasized that China’s goal of putting humans on the Moon by 2030 “is firm.”
This announcement comes at the same time as China prepares for the next crewed mission to its orbital station. The upcoming flight will carry three astronauts — Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang — from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, which will see further research aboard China’s Tiangong space station. Zhang Hongzhang has flown before; for the other two, this will be a first.
The upcoming mission isn’t just about astronauts and orbiting laboratories. The crew will also carry four mice — two male and two female — to study the effects of weightlessness and confinement, showing how China is integrating biological research into its human space-flight programs.
China’s space station programme began after the country was excluded from the International Space Station due to national security concerns raised by the United States. The Tiangong station now serves as a home base for long-duration missions, research and technology development, including steps toward lunar exploration.
Looking ahead, China’s plan is both ambitious and structured. The development of the Long March 10 rocket is central to the scheme—this heavy-lift launch vehicle will play a major role in delivering payloads and astronauts to the Moon. Meanwhile, specialised suits and lunar vehicles are being engineered to support surface operations and exploration.
For audiences watching global space exploration, China’s announcement signals increased competition and cooperation potential in lunar and deep-space missions. A Moon landing by 2030 would place China alongside the leading spacefaring nations and expand human presence beyond low Earth orbit.
From a broader perspective, China’s commitment to a lunar landing by 2030 underscores a strategic shift in its national space ambitions. Rather than merely orbiting Earth or maintaining a station, China is now looking outward to the Moon, and perhaps beyond. The Moon mission also serves as a stepping-stone to further deep-space exploration.
For your website, this story offers several angles: the technological advancements (rocket, suits, vehicles), the human element (astronauts and mice experiments), and the geopolitical implications (China’s role in global space exploration). You might highlight how this impacts global collaboration, commercial space ventures, and the future of lunar science.
Source:
China says it’s on track to land astronauts on the moon by 2030 ahead of space station mission. Phys.org. October 30, 2025.