During a press conference on October 15 in Beijing, Lin Xiqiang, spokesperson for China’s manned space program and deputy director of the China Manned Space Engineering Office, shared exciting news about China’s ambitious plans for space exploration. He announced that China intends to leverage the upcoming crewed lunar landing mission alongside flight tests to conduct extensive space science experiments. The preliminary plan outlines nine key scientific objectives across three main areas: lunar science, lunar base science, and resource exploration and utilization.
The meeting coincided with the release of China’s first long-term national plan for space science development, titled “National Medium and Long-Term Development Plan for Space Science (2024-2050).” This initiative was launched collaboratively by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the National Space Administration, and the China Manned Space Engineering Office. Lin took the opportunity to answer questions from the media regarding the plan.
Looking ahead to the next decade, Lin elaborated that China’s space station will address global technological frontiers and significant national needs, focusing on four primary research areas: space life and human research, microgravity physics, space astronomy and Earth sciences, and new space technologies. The program is set to involve 32 research topics, with plans to roll out thousands of scientific research and application projects.
In the realm of space astronomy, Lin revealed that China will launch an internationally advanced 2-meter aperture survey space telescope. Corresponding scientific centers are being established in Beijing, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, with seven research directions and 24 projects aimed at making significant advancements in cosmology, galaxy science, Milky Way studies, solar system celestial bodies, and transients.
Lin also pointed to the upcoming crewed lunar exploration program as a key strategic endeavor to promote human civilization and illustrate China’s commitment as a major power. With plans for Chinese astronauts to land on the moon, this mission presents a unique opportunity for conducting explorations on the lunar surface.
When asked how China’s manned space program could drive the development of space science, Lin highlighted that, after more than 30 years of efforts, the program has successfully achieved its strategic goals outlined in a three-phase development plan while also producing internationally recognized scientific results. During the manned spaceflight phase, China executed the largest and most diverse space science program at the time, involving 28 original experiments. The space laboratory phase saw over 50 scientific experiments, propelling rapid advancements in China’s space science. Currently, in the space station phase, the Tiangong space station serves as the nation’s laboratory, hosting 14 scientific experiment cabinets and numerous other platforms, with over a hundred scientific experiments already conducted and hundreds of samples returned via the Shenzhou spacecraft.
In summary, Lin emphasized that the development of China’s space science significantly supports the success of manned space missions, while the manned space program provides a broader platform for rapid scientific progress. He concluded that the two endeavors are mutually reinforcing and will continue to thrive together.
