China plans to go to the Moon, Mars and beyond

China has high ambitions to challenge NASA’s leading position as space power and in replacing the ISS

Three Chinese astronauts take up the mission to establish the country’s space station and set the future for China’s leading position as a space power. 

China has already successfully sent out its first module of Tiagong or Heavenly Palace space station into orbit. By the end of the year, it will add more modules like Mengtian science lab and next year it will launch its space telescope called Xuntian. According to BBC, the telescope will fly close to the space station for refuelling and servicing. Tiagong is expected to have its own power, propulsion, life support system and living quarters. 

Third after the Soviet Union and the US, China has launched both a space station and astronauts into space. Tiagong has high ambitions to replace the International Space Station (ISS) when it decommissions in 2031. Currently, US has banned NASA from entertaining Chinese astronauts at the ISS and sharing data with China. 

Daring to dream bigger, China also plans to visit the Moon and  take samples from asteroids near the Earth, and from the planets Mars and Jupiter. 

However, China isn’t the only nation making plans to go to space. Japan, South Korea, Russia, India and the UAE are also actively working on their individual lunar missions. NASA has also planned to return to the moon with astronauts from the US and other countries in 2025.