German Media: Lunar Race Intensifies: NASA's Success Brings Focus to China's "2030 Moon Landing" Goal

As the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Artemis program continues setting new records, China's goal of achieving crewed lunar landing before 2030 is taking on significant geopolitical implications. This is not merely a technological contest but an extension of great power rivalry into the domain of space. Analysts point out that despite immense pressure, Beijing is highly likely to accomplish this feat on schedule—or even ahead of time.

This week, the four American astronauts aboard the "Artemis II" mission successfully flew over the far side of the Moon. This flight not only set a new record for human deep-space travel, but also laid the groundwork for the "Artemis IV" mission in 2028, when U.S. astronauts are expected to return to the lunar surface.

China is closely monitoring America’s return to the Moon after half a century. Currently, China is rapidly developing its complete crewed lunar landing architecture, including the Long March 10 launch vehicle, the "Mengzhou" crewed spacecraft, and the "Lanyue" lunar lander.

From "Who Gets There First" to "Who Stays Longer"

In recent years, China has made rapid progress in lunar exploration—achieving humanity’s first sample collection from the far side of the Moon—and its crewed spaceflight program has matured significantly in operating space stations and handling orbital emergencies. Clayton Swope, Deputy Director of the Aerospace Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), noted that crewed lunar landing is an essential step for China to establish leadership in space.

At present, Washington and Beijing are engaged in institutionalized competition over humanity’s permanent presence on the Moon. The United States leads the Artemis Accords, while China and Russia have jointly launched the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) initiative. Professor Kang Guohua from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics previously told media outlets that the focus is no longer just about who arrives first, but who can stay longer and accomplish more.

The Reliability Challenge of New Hardware

The key challenge over the next four years lies in validating the entire new lunar landing architecture. According to plans disclosed by China Manned Space Engineering Office, the lunar mission will involve two Long March 10 rockets launching the spacecraft and lander separately, which will then dock in lunar orbit. Subsequently, two astronauts will descend to the lunar surface to collect samples, re-dock with the spacecraft in orbit, and return to Earth.

Although China has accumulated extensive experience in robotic lunar orbital docking, crewed missions demand exceptionally high safety standards. In February 2026, the Long March 10 rocket and Mengzhou spacecraft successfully completed their first low-altitude escape test in Hainan. Earlier, the lifting capabilities of the Lanyue lander had also been tested in Hebei. Analysts believe China has a long-standing tradition of completing aerospace projects on schedule, and there are currently no public signs indicating major setbacks in Beijing’s lunar landing program.

Geopolitical Rivalry and "Chinese Reserve"

To American analysts, China’s growing defense spending, increasingly sophisticated private space sector, and successful lunar missions all indicate strong motivation for Beijing to secure dominance in space. Although China avoids using terms like “space race” in public statements, its strategic objectives are clear.

Meanwhile, China’s actual progress in lunar landing may be faster than officially announced. Last year, Wu Weiren, Chief Designer of China’s Lunar Exploration Program, stated that the 2030 target was actually conservative. He candidly noted that Easterners tend to leave some room in their speech—when capable of achieving ten, they often say only eight or nine.

Source: DW

American Crewed Lunar Flyby Mission

Original: toutiao.com/article/1862306785516544/

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