China plans to land astronauts on the Moon before 2030

Kyodo News

Posted at May 30 2023 07:27 AM | Updated as of May 30 2023 07:51 AM

Photos of the moon (R) and Earth (L), taken by South Korea's first lunar orbiter, Danuri, are displayed at the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 3, 2023. EPA-EFE/Yonhap/Pool
Photos of the moon (R) and Earth (L), taken by South Korea's first lunar orbiter, Danuri, are displayed at the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 3, 2023. EPA-EFE/Yonhap/Pool

JIUQUAN - China plans to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030, the China Manned Space Agency said Monday as Beijing aims to become a major space power.

The announcement comes as the CMSA is set to launch a rocket carrying three astronauts Tuesday to its space station to replace three others who have been on board since last November.

China has started the development of a new manned spacecraft and a new-generation Long March-10 rocket, the CMSA said at a press conference held at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China's northwestern province of Gansu.

==Kyodo