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News Chinese Space Program

They might be very close to an all-up Apollo 9 -style mission, maybe even circumlunar like Apollo 8. They may not beat Artemis II to go around the moon, but it seems that their lander and capsule are both nearly ready for crew.
 
Thunder Chicken said:
They might be very close to an all-up Apollo 9 -style mission, maybe even circumlunar like Apollo 8. They may not beat Artemis II to go around the moon, but it seems that their lander and capsule are both nearly ready for crew.
Click to expand...

Well, if you apply the old NASA program milestones to China, they have already gathered the necessary practical experience to attempt a manned lunar mission. The only question marks I see is: How important is landing on the moon for them, compared to other national agendas, and do they plan to stay or will the motivation collapse already with flags and photographs?
 
Yes, it is a matter of risk management at this point. But I think they are reasonably cautious people. The big first is done since 1969, obviously. Landing a woman on the surface is a nice achievement, but it won't be the first homo sapiens on the Moon.
 
Catching the booster stage on the barge, that's a cool concept. No lost payload due to landing leg mass, stabilizes and holds the stage in a very flexible cable arrangement. It seems that they were hoping to attempt a catch but they deferred for a soft landing, or was that the plan to soft land next to the barge?

It's somewhat ironic that SpaceX is using chopsticks instead of the Chinese.
 
Thunder Chicken said:
or was that the plan to soft land next to the barge?
Click to expand...
That's what I read.

Thunder Chicken said:
It's somewhat ironic that SpaceX is using chopsticks instead of the Chinese.
Click to expand...
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Chinese lunar timeline news?
https://twitter.com/x/status/2056732380753231967
An interesting comment by NASA Administrator Isaacman at the ASCEND conference this morning: "The next time the world tunes in to watch astronauts fly around the Moon, which will be likely in sometime in 2027, they will be taikonauts, and America will no longer be the exclusive power to send humans into the lunar environment."

BTW: using "taikonauts" instead of "chinese astronauts"🤦‍♂️
 
https://twitter.com/x/status/2071522675085000725
UPDATE | ZhuQue-3 Y2 Reusable Launch Vehicle Completed Static Fire Test

On June 29, 2026, LandSpace’s ZhuQue-3 Y2 reusable launch vehicle successfully completed a static fire test at the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone.

The test comprehensively verified the vehicle system, the ground support system, and the compatibility between them. All systems operated normally, and test data and results met expectations, validating the correctness and coordination of system operations and laying a solid foundation for upcoming flight missions.

All key pre-launch ground verification work for the ZhuQue-3 Y2 reusable launch vehicle has now been completed. The team will proceed with launch preparations according to the established plan, making full preparations for the flight mission.
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On the lunar front:
https://twitter.com/x/status/2071216830056722944
 
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