China completes first landing, takeoff test of manned lunar lander
Baku, August 8, AZERTAC
China on Thursday announced that it has successfully completed a comprehensive test for the landing and takeoff of its manned lunar lander at a test site in Huailai County, Hebei Province, Xinhua reported.
The test completed on Wednesday represents a key step in the development of China's manned lunar exploration program, and it also marks the first time that China has carried out a test for extraterrestrial landing and takeoff of a manned spacecraft, said the China Manned Space Agency.
The lunar lander, named Lanyue, which means embracing the moon, consists of both a landing module and a propulsion module. It is a newly developed spacecraft designed to support crewed missions to and from the moon.
It will be used to transport two taikonauts between the lunar orbit and the lunar surface -- and will carry a lunar rover and other scientific payloads. After landing, the lander will serve as a life-support center, an energy center and a data center, offering assistance and serving as a base for the taikonauts' stay and activities on the moon's surface.
Noting that the test was complex with a long cycle and technical challenges, the space agency said the success represents a breakthrough in research and development in terms of China's manned lunar exploration program.
China aims to land its astronauts on the moon before 2030, with the purpose of conducting scientific exploration.
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