China recently made a significant step forward in its ambitious mission to send astronauts to the moon by revealing the names of its new crew spaceship and moon lander.
China's space agency revealed the crew spaceship, named "Mengzhou," which means "dream vessel" in Chinese, and the moon lander, named "Lanyue," which translates to "embracing the moon," first coined by CCP founding chairman Mao Zedong in a poem written in 1965.
These names were chosen from nearly 2,000 proposals submitted by the public since August 2023.
JIUQUAN, CHINA - SEPTEMBER 29: A Long March 2F rocket carrying the country's first space laboratory module Tiangong-1 lifts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on September 29, 2011 in Jiuquan, Gansu province of China. The unmanned Tiangong-1 will stay in orbit for two years and dock with China's Shenzhou-8, -9 and -10 spacecraft with the eventual goal of establishing a manned Chinese space station around 2020.
'Mengzhou' Spaceship and 'Lanyue' Lander
The Mengzhou spaceship and the Lanyue lander represent crucial parts of China's plans to send astronauts to the moon by 2030.
According to the China Manned Space Agency, two Long March-10 carrier rockets will be used to launch the spacecraft into lunar orbit. Once in orbit, they will dock and allow astronauts to transfer to the lander before descending to the lunar surface.
The Mengzhou spacecraft was designed with versatility in mind. It will be available in two models: one for transporting astronauts to the moon and another to replace the current spaceship, Shenzhou, which transports crew members between Earth and the Tiangong space station.
The Tiangong space station has been orbiting Earth for nearly three years, providing an important platform for China's space exploration efforts.
The Lanyue lunar lander's specifications reveal that it can accommodate two astronauts and a 200-kg rover. The lander, which consists of a landing section and a propulsion section, will weigh nearly 26 tons.
Meanwhile, the Mengzhou spacecraft will have a reentry module for astronauts and a service module with power and propulsion systems. It will be approximately 9 meters long, 4.5 meters wide, and weigh 22 metric tons.
The announcement of these spacecraft names represents a significant milestone in China's space exploration journey. It demonstrates the country's determination to achieve its space exploration objectives and establish itself as a major player in lunar exploration.
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Latest Chinese Satellite Launch
China recently launched the TJS-11 classified satellite toward the geostationary belt. This satellite is part of a series of classified geosynchronous satellites for the Chinese military. Its primary purpose is to verify multi-band, high-speed satellite communication technology.
The launch of TJS-11 expands China's space presence, raising concerns among observers about the country's advanced capabilities in geostationary orbit. Chinese surveillance satellites, such as Yaogan-41, have received attention for their potential military applications, which include coordinated maneuvers and spoofing.
Moving forward, China's space ambitions remain high, with several upcoming missions planned for 2024. These include the pioneering Chang'e-6 lunar far-side sample return mission, which will launch alongside the Queqiao-2 relay satellite next month.
Furthermore, Chinese commercial launch providers are preparing to introduce new liquid-propellant launch vehicles in the second half of 2024, building on the previous year's successes.
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