China plans to send two rockets to the moon by 2030, one carrying the spacecraft that will land on the surface and the other transporting the astronauts. Government media reported today, Wednesday, quoting engineer Zhang Hailian from the Chinese Manned Space Agency, that "both rockets will enter lunar orbit, and after a successful docking, the astronauts will enter the lunar lander."
Zhang Hailian stated, "The lander will transport the astronauts back to the spacecraft in orbit after they have completed their scientific missions and gathered samples, at the beginning of the return journey to Earth." He added, "To achieve China's objectives concerning the moon, researchers are developing the Long March 10 heavy-lift rocket, a next-generation manned spacecraft, a landing vehicle, and a lunar rover."
