China details a two-launch plan to land astronauts on the Moon before 2030

Wang Xiang, deputy chief designer of China's crewed space program, outlined the plan on Saturday at a symposium in Beijing, saying it matches the country's existing technical capabilities.

Two rockets would separately send a lunar lander and a crewed spaceship toward the Moon, where they would dock in lunar orbit before astronauts descend to the surface in the lander.

The lunar lander's name, "embracing the moon"

Lanyue

Tests completed

• Mengzhou zero-height abort test
• Mengzhou maximum dynamic pressure escape test
• Lanyue landing and takeoff test
• Long March-10 low-altitude test

Major tests already done include two escape tests for the Mengzhou spaceship, a landing and takeoff test for the Lanyue lander and a low-altitude test of the Long March-10 rocket.