China's Crewed Moon Mission

[skywatcher]

Deep space crewed spacecraft

crewed lunar lander

Crewed launch vehicle Long March 10

 

[skywatcher]

Anything relevant to Chinese crewed moon mission will be updated here.
The deep space crewed spacecraft, crewed lunar lander & human-rated super heavy launch vehicle Long March 10 (CZ-10) have been under development.

 

[skywatcher]

The crewed spacecraft and lunar lander will be separately launched by two Long March 10 rockets and will make rendezvous and docking in lunar orbit.

 

[skywatcher]

Specifications of Long March 10
(CZ-10 in Chinese, formerly known as Long March 5G or "921" rocket)
Function: Human-rated launch vehicle
Manufacturer: CASC
Height: 88.5 m
Diameter: 5 m × 3
Weight: 2187 t
Thrust: 2678 t
Thrust-Weight Ratio: 1.22
Stages: 3
First Stage Powered By: LOX/RP-1 YF-100K × 21
Second Stage Powered By: LOX/RP-1 YF-100M × 2
Third Stage Powered By: LOX/LH2 YF-75E × 3
LEO: 70 t
TLI : 27 t
First Flight: 2027
Status: In development

 

[skywatcher]

Rover folded up on the side of the lander

 

[skywatcher]

Rover folded up on the side of the landerView attachment 194851
View attachment 194849
View attachment 194850
View attachment 194870

This is not real

 

[skywatcher]

This is not realView attachment 194965
View attachment 194962
View attachment 194963

View attachment 194964

Chinese crewed lunar program was elevated to "national strategy" last year.
Stay tuned

 

[skywatcher]

China unveils lunar lander to put astronauts on the moon

China unveils lunar lander to put astronauts on the moon

China unveils lunar lander to put astronauts on the moon

spacenews.com

HELSINKI — China has revealed a concept for a lunar lander it hopes will put astronauts on the moon around the end of the decade.

A model of the Chinese lunar lander was unveiled at an exhibition to mark three decades of China’s human spaceflight program Feb. 24 at the National Museum of China in Beijing.

The model shows that China is working on a staged descent concept, which differs from the Apollo landings. A propulsion stage will be used for most of the descent, before the lander segment completes a powered descent and soft landing on the lunar surface.

The propulsion stage will be designed to make a separate, hard landing while needing to mitigate the potential dangers of debris. The lander will also act as the ascent vehicle to take the crew back into lunar orbit and dock with a waiting crew spacecraft.

Details on the model show thrusters, a stowed lunar rover, docking mechanisms, a crew hatch and a ladder for astronauts to descend to surface, antennae and other equipment.

The lander is part of a plan to take two astronauts to the lunar surface by around 2030, according to previously announced plans by Chinese space authorities. Meanwhile, work on other key elements continues.


“We have made breakthroughs in key technologies for the new-generation crew carrier rocket, the new-generation crew spacecraft, the lunar lander and the spacesuit for landing on the moon,” Ji Qiming, assistant to director of the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO), told CCTV Feb. 24

China is already working on a new-generation crew launch vehicle to launch a new-generation crew spacecraft. The latter has a boilerplate test mission in 2020. It will be partially reusable and larger and more capable than China’s current Shenzhou crew spacecraft.

The new launcher will come in low Earth orbit and triple-core lunar configurations. Its developer CASC is targeting a test flight of the LEO version in 2027.

The launcher has also now gained the designation of Long March 10, according to information presented alongside its model at the exhibition.

“An implementation plan for the lunar landing stage with Chinese characteristics has taken shape. This year, we will fully implement our research and construction tasks for the lunar landing phase as scheduled,” Ji added.

The initial landing mission is intended to be a short-term stay on the order of a few hours. The crewed lunar landing capabilities are however part of a grander plan for a permanent lunar habitat.

“At the same time, we will also carry out a series of preliminary studies on the long-term stay of astronauts on the lunar surface, and the development and utilization of lunar resources, so as to lay a technical foundation for future lunar exploration missions of the Chinese people,” Ji said.

China in 2021 formally announced a plan for an International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) to be constructed in the 2030s. It will initially be robotic then made suitable for long-term habitation by crew.

The ILRS project includes Russia as a key partner. However China did not mention Russia during a presentation of its lunar plans at a major international space conference last fall. Russia faces isolation from the international community over its invasion of Ukraine.

China last year stated it was scrapping plans for an expendable Long March 9 super heavy-lift rocket for lunar and other space infrastructure and replacing it with a reusable version. This will likely see the test flight delayed into the 2030s, also impacting the schedule for the ILRS.

China’s crewed lunar landing plan is not formally approved by the Chinese government, but this is likely as its time frame is beyond the scope of the current national Five-year plan.

A space white paper published in January 2022 stated that China will “continue studies and research on the plan for a human lunar landing… and research key technologies to lay a foundation for exploring and developing cislunar space.”

 

[skywatcher]

10 meter diameter propellant tank for Long March 9

 

[skywatcher]

 

[skywatcher]

Emergency return vehicle

 

[skywatcher]

YF-100K test on 24 Apr 2023
The engines are used for the first stage of Long March 10

 

[skywatcher]

New version of Long March 9

After feasibility study and debates of almost 3 decades, the latest configuration of Long March 9 was finally confirmed by officials on China Space Day yesterday


Function: Super-heavy launch vehicle

Three stage configuration for deep space missions:
Non-reusable: LTO 50 t
First stage reusable: LTO 35 t

Two stage configuration for LEO missions:
Non-reusable: LEO 150 t
First stage reusable: LEO 100 t
Fully reusable: LEO 80 t

First & second stage will be powered by 200 t full flow staged combustion cycle LOX/CH4 engines
Third stage will be powered by LOX/H2 engines

First flight: 2033

A crewed lunar landing around 2030 by two Long March 10 rockets was reaffirmed.

 

[Vamsi]

New version of Long March 9

After feasibility study and debates of almost 3 decades, the latest configuration of Long March 9 was finally confirmed by officials on China Space Day yesterday


Function: Super-heavy launch vehicle

Three stage configuration for deep space missions:
Non-reusable: LTO 50 t
First stage reusable: LTO 35 t

Two stage configuration for LEO missions:
Non-reusable: LEO 150 t
First stage reusable: LEO 100 t
Fully reusable: LEO 80 t

First & second stage will be powered by 200 t full flow staged combustion cycle LOX/CH4 engines
Third stage will be powered by LOX/H2 engines

First flight: 2033

A crewed lunar landing around 2030 by two Long March 10 rockets was reaffirmed.

post pics of LM9

 

[skywatcher]

post pics of LM9

 

[skywatcher]

 

[skywatcher]

Q: Is it possible for China to make a crewed lunar landing before 2030?

Only less than 7 years. China's state media says so today. I'm feeling strapped for time.

China to realize manned lunar landing by 2030

China to realize manned lunar landing by 2030-

english.news.cn

China to realize manned lunar landing by 2030
Source: Xinhua
Editor: huaxia
2023-05-29 13:04:30

JIUQUAN, May 29 (Xinhua) -- China plans to realize manned lunar landing by 2030, announced the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) at a press conference Monday.

Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the CMSA, said at the conference that China has recently initiated the lunar landing phase of its manned lunar exploration program.

The overall goal is to achieve China's first manned landing on the moon by 2030 and carry out lunar scientific exploration and related technological experiments, he added.

According to Lin, the goal also includes mastering the key technologies such as Earth-moon manned roundtrip, lunar surface short-term stay, human-robot joint exploration, accomplishing multiple tasks of landing, roving, sampling, researching, returning, and forming an independent capability of manned lunar exploration.

China's manned lunar landing will promote the leapfrog development of manned space technology from near-Earth to deep space, deepen human understanding of the origin and evolution of the moon and the solar system, and contribute Chinese wisdom to the development of lunar science, he said.

The CMSA has carried out various research and development work to achieve the goal on the basis of preliminary key technology research and program demonstration, including the research and development of the new-generation manned launch vehicle Long March-10, new-generation manned spaceship, lunar lander and lunar landing suits, as well as the building and testing of a new launch site, facilities and equipment.

The CMSA will release announcements later to solicit proposals for scientific payloads and manned lunar rover, and for names of new-generation manned spaceship and lunar lander, according to Lin.

 

[skywatcher]

Q: Is it possible for China to make a crewed lunar landing before 2030?

Only less than 7 years. China's state media says so today. I'm feeling strapped for time.View attachment 207855

China to realize manned lunar landing by 2030

China to realize manned lunar landing by 2030-

english.news.cn

China to realize manned lunar landing by 2030
Source: Xinhua
Editor: huaxia
2023-05-29 13:04:30

JIUQUAN, May 29 (Xinhua) -- China plans to realize manned lunar landing by 2030, announced the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) at a press conference Monday.

Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the CMSA, said at the conference that China has recently initiated the lunar landing phase of its manned lunar exploration program.

The overall goal is to achieve China's first manned landing on the moon by 2030 and carry out lunar scientific exploration and related technological experiments, he added.

According to Lin, the goal also includes mastering the key technologies such as Earth-moon manned roundtrip, lunar surface short-term stay, human-robot joint exploration, accomplishing multiple tasks of landing, roving, sampling, researching, returning, and forming an independent capability of manned lunar exploration.

China's manned lunar landing will promote the leapfrog development of manned space technology from near-Earth to deep space, deepen human understanding of the origin and evolution of the moon and the solar system, and contribute Chinese wisdom to the development of lunar science, he said.

The CMSA has carried out various research and development work to achieve the goal on the basis of preliminary key technology research and program demonstration, including the research and development of the new-generation manned launch vehicle Long March-10, new-generation manned spaceship, lunar lander and lunar landing suits, as well as the building and testing of a new launch site, facilities and equipment.

The CMSA will release announcements later to solicit proposals for scientific payloads and manned lunar rover, and for names of new-generation manned spaceship and lunar lander, according to Lin.

Possible launch schedule:
2027 Demonstration flight of Long March 10
2028 Uncrewed lunar fly and lunar orbit rendezvous and docking
2028 Uncrewed lunar landing
2029 Crewed lunar fly and lunar orbit rendezvous and docking
Sept 2029 Crewed lunar landing

 

[skywatcher]

According to Chinese state media, one of the two planned rockets (Long March 10) will carry the spacecraft that will land on the moon’s surface and the other will transport the astronauts.

Both the rockets will enter the moon’s orbit and after a successful docking the Chinese astronauts will enter the lunar lander to descend onto the moon’s surface, state media reported on Wednesday, quoting a China Manned Space Agency engineer.

The twin-rocket plan would overcome China’s longstanding technological hurdle of developing a heavy-duty rocket powerful enough to send both astronauts and a moon lander probe into space.

After Chinese astronauts have completed their scientific tasks and collected samples from the moon, the lander will transport the astronauts back to the orbiting spacecraft, on which they will then return to Earth, said Zhang Hailian, deputy chief engineer at the China Manned Space Office.

 

[skywatcher]

According to Chinese state media, one of the two planned rockets (Long March 10) will carry the spacecraft that will land on the moon’s surface and the other will transport the astronauts.

Both the rockets will enter the moon’s orbit and after a successful docking the Chinese astronauts will enter the lunar lander to descend onto the moon’s surface, state media reported on Wednesday, quoting a China Manned Space Agency engineer.

The twin-rocket plan would overcome China’s longstanding technological hurdle of developing a heavy-duty rocket powerful enough to send both astronauts and a moon lander probe into space.

After Chinese astronauts have completed their scientific tasks and collected samples from the moon, the lander will transport the astronauts back to the orbiting spacecraft, on which they will then return to Earth, said Zhang Hailian, deputy chief engineer at the China Manned Space Office.

View attachment 214137
View attachment 214138

The lunar landing module is about 26 t and will be launched by Long March 10.