China to advance space station application and manned lunar landing preparations in 2025: CMSA

China Manned Space Agency signs an agreement with Pakistan on selecting and training Pakistani astronauts for future flight missions to Tiangong space station. (Photo/CCTV)

In 2025, China will continue to advance two major missions - the application and development of the China Space Station and preparations for manned lunar landing before 2030. Currently, crews for the two manned missions entering China Space Station this year have already been selected and are under training, while various research and construction tasks for landing taikonauts on the moon are progressing steadily as planned, the Global Times learned from China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Monday.

At present, the China Space Station is operating stably in orbit, yielding significant results, according to a CMSA statement. Since the completion of the station, it has successfully received four crewed missions, three cargo resupply missions, and four spacecraft return missions. The five crews, comprising 15 taikonauts in total, have conducted long-duration stays in orbit.

To date, there have been 11 extravehicular activities (EVAs) and multiple extravehicular payload deployments, as well as various extravehicular maintenance tasks, setting a new world record for the longest duration of a single EVA.

Additionally, China has completed the selection of the fourth batch of reserve taikonauts, including two payload specialists from the Hong Kong and Macao SARs, initiated the development of a cost-effective cargo transportation system, and released the first-ever progress report detailing the scientific research and applications conducted in the space station.

For 2025, China has planned two manned missions and one cargo resupply mission. The crews for the two manned flights have already been selected and are undergoing training, the agency revealed on Monday.

To date, the China Space Station has conducted more than 180 space science research and application projects in orbit, covering areas such as space life sciences and human research, microgravity physics, and space technology innovations, yielding numerous groundbreaking achievements.

On Friday, the CMSA signed an agreement with Pakistan on selecting and training Pakistani astronauts for future flight missions to Tiangong space station, opening a new chapter in deepening cooperation in the manned space sector between the two countries. This marked the very first step of China selecting and training foreign astronauts to participate in the country's space station flight missions.

According to the plan, both sides will complete the selection process in about one year, and the selected Pakistani candidate will receive comprehensive training in China. Afterward, the Pakistani astronaut will enter the Tiangong space station to carry out short-term flight missions alongside Chinese taikonauts in the next few years per the flight mission schedule, the CMSA revealed.

Meanwhile, aiming to achieve China's first crewed lunar landing before 2030, the preparation work for the lunar exploration program is progressing steadily. Key products such as the Long March-10 carrier rocket, the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft, the Lanyue lunar lander, the Wangyu lunar spacesuit, and the Tansuo crewed lunar rover are all in the prototype development stage, with significant progress achieved.

The construction of launch-related test and support facilities at the Wenchang Space Launch Site is also progressing in an orderly manner, while the overall plans for ground systems, including telemetry, tracking and communications, and the landing site, have been completed, with subsequent construction projects set to follow.

For the next step, large-scale prototype testing will be a key focus for these major flight products, the CMSA said. To enhance the quality and efficiency of the program's development, the lunar landing mission will promote the digitalization of engineering processes.

Since the inception of China's manned space program, it has adhered to the principles of peaceful use, equality and mutual benefit, and common development, striving to share the benefits of China's advancements with humanity. By actively opening opportunities aboard the China Space Station, China continues to contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind, the agency noted.

The recent cooperation agreement between China and Pakistan on astronaut selection and training provides a model for other developing countries to participate in international manned space cooperation. This collaboration is expected to inspire more nations to join hands in exploring the mysteries of the universe and to write a new chapter in advancing space exploration for the benefit of humankind.