08-08-2025
China tests Dream Vessel that will take its astronauts to the Moon
China has recently taken a significant step forward in its ambitious lunar exploration program by successfully testing its manned lunar capsule, Mengzhou, and conducting a critical landing and takeoff test of its lunar lander named is accelerating efforts to land astronauts on the Moon and establish a sustainable presence Mengzhou spacecraft, sometimes called the "Dream Vessel," is a next-generation reusable crewed spacecraft developed independently by China. It completed a crucial zero-altitude escape test earlier this year, demonstrating its integrated escape and rescue functions designed to safeguard astronauts during emergencies at
This spacecraft is modular and capable of carrying up to seven astronauts, with variants configured for near-Earth operations and deep-space missions such as lunar expeditions. The success of the escape test lays a strong technical foundation for China's manned lunar missions planned for the coming a landmark test conducted in Hebei province, north China, the Lanyue lunar lander underwent comprehensive trials that simulated lunar surface conditions, including terrain features like rocks and craters and lunar soil test, the first of its kind for an extraterrestrial landing and takeoff by a Chinese manned spacecraft, validated the lander's ability to safely touch down and ascend from the Moon's meaning "Embrace the Moon," is designed not only to ferry astronauts between lunar orbit and the surface but also to serve as a habitat, power station, and command hub during their stay. It has features including a lunar rover and life support systems, making it central to future lunar surface lunar ambitions extend beyond individual missions. Plans are underway to build a "basic model" of the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) by around 2035 near the Moon's south base, a joint effort with Russia and potentially other international partners, aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon, powered by a combination of solar arrays and a nuclear reactor on the lunar surface. The ILRS will support scientific research and serve as a stepping stone for deeper space exploration, including crewed Mars the successful tests of Mengzhou and Lanyue mark major milestones in China's lunar exploration strategy, aiming to achieve a manned landing before 2030 and construct a lunar base that could become a hub of international scientific cooperation and long-term space habitation. - EndsMust Watch
