China plans to land astronauts on moon before 2030, expand space station, bring on foreign partners

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News/AP

BEIJING — China’s burgeoning space program plans to place astronauts on the moon before 2030 and expand the country’s orbiting space station, officials said Monday. Monday’s announcement comes amid against the background of a rivalry with the U.S. for reaching new milestones in outer space, reflecting their competition for influence on global events.

That has conjured up memories of the space race between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union in the 1960s and 1970s, although American spending, supply chains and capabilities are believed to give it a significant edge over China, at least for the present. The U.S. aims to put astronauts back on the lunar surface by the end of 2025 as part of a renewed commitment to crewed missions, aided by private sector players such as SpaceX and Blue Origin.

The deputy director of China’s space agency confirmed the twin objectives at a news conference but gave no specific dates. The agency also introduced three astronauts who will head to the country’s space station in a launch scheduled for Tuesday morning. They’ll replace a crew that’s been on the orbiting station for six months. China is first preparing for a “short stay on the lunar surface and human-robotic joint exploration,” Deputy Director of the Chinese Manned Space Agency Lin Xiqiang told reporters at the rare briefing by the military-run program.

“We have a complete near-Earth human space station and human round-trip transportation system,” complemented by a process for selecting, training and supporting new astronauts, he said. A schedule of two crewed missions a year is “sufficient for carrying out our objectives,” Lin said.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/china-plans-land-astronauts-moon-2030-expand-space-station-bring-forei-rcna86654

[dalton99a]

1. So there is still hope that man will land on the moon

Finally

[peppertree]

7. But would we be welcome?

[Mike Nelson]

2. Great News!

... a US-China space competition... this is so much better than seeing who can build the biggest stockpile of war weapons.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

6. Space Race versus War Race! That's OK! Trade all war money for space money...thats what

the silenced majority would prefer…take a poll on popularity of military spending, if anyone dares!??

[PXR-5]

3. We still need a lunar lander

The LM was actually the cheapest component of the Apollo program.

Last week Blue Origin got a go ahead which is great news.

Using Starship, is not very smart as a lander, that thing in theory could fly to Mars.
Besides it is way behind schedule, it hasn't even reached Earth orbit yet.

Of course the Repugs like Starship for obvious reasons.

[Martin68]

4. Unless the economy, minority ethnic group issues, democracy movements, COVID, or some other

crisis interferes.

[Bayard]

5. MUCH more important,

Than their 65M Covid cases per week.

[PortTack]

8. China has to get its financial house in order b4 thinking about moon landings