China is moving forward with plans to send astronauts to the Moon before 2030, announcing new details about the mission as Beijing seeks to become only the second country in history to land humans on the lunar surface.

Wang Xiang, deputy chief designer of China's manned space program, outlined the latest plans Saturday, October 31, during the seventh Manned Space Symposium in Beijing. Under the proposed mission, three astronauts will travel toward the Moon, with two descending to the surface while the third remains aboard a spacecraft in lunar orbit. The two astronauts will conduct scientific investigations, collect lunar samples, and carry out other surface operations before returning to orbit and rejoining their crewmate for the journey back to Earth.

The mission will rely on two separate launches using China's next-generation Long March 10 rocket. One rocket will carry the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft, while another will transport the Lanyue lunar lander. Both vehicles will travel toward the Moon before rendezvousing and docking in lunar orbit, allowing the astronauts to transfer into the lander and begin their descent.

The approach, known as a lunar orbit rendezvous, is similar in principle to the mission architecture used by NASA's Apollo program to land American astronauts on the Moon. China is developing the Long March 10 rocket to provide the heavy-lift capability necessary for the mission, while the Mengzhou spacecraft will transport the crew between Earth and lunar orbit. The Lanyue lander will handle the descent to the surface and the return to the spacecraft waiting above.

Chinese officials say development of the major systems is progressing, with several important tests already completed. These include an emergency escape test for the Mengzhou spacecraft, a landing-and-takeoff test for the Lanyue lander, and low-altitude flight validation for the Long March 10 rocket system. China has also been advancing construction at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan Province, where infrastructure needed for the lunar missions is being developed.

An uncrewed flight of the Lanyue lander is planned ahead of the first astronaut landing. The China Manned Space Agency has begun soliciting proposals for experimental payloads that could be included in that mission, providing an opportunity to test equipment and technology before astronauts make the journey.

China has also been expanding its robotic lunar exploration program through its Chang'e missions. The country has successfully returned lunar samples to Earth and is preparing additional missions to investigate the Moon's south pole, an area of particular scientific interest because of the possibility of water ice in permanently shadowed regions. Beijing has also discussed plans for a longer-term lunar research station as part of its broader effort to establish a sustained presence beyond Earth.

China's ambitions are unfolding as the United States works to return American astronauts to the Moon through NASA's Artemis program. NASA is targeting a crewed lunar landing in 2028, while China has established a goal of landing its astronauts before 2030. The overlapping timelines have intensified discussion about a renewed space race between the world's two largest space powers.

The United States remains the only country to have successfully landed astronauts on the Moon. NASA's Apollo program carried out six successful crewed lunar landings between 1969 and 1972, with 12 American astronauts walking on the surface. If China meets its deadline, it would become the second nation to accomplish a crewed lunar landing and mark a major milestone in its decades-long effort to establish itself as a leading space power.

Although China's 2030 deadline remains a target rather than a guaranteed launch date, the latest announcement provides a clearer picture of how Beijing intends to accomplish its first human mission to the Moon. The effort also reflects China's broader ambitions to develop advanced space technology, expand scientific exploration, and establish a lasting presence in lunar orbit and on the Moon's surface.