(Yicai Global) July 12 -- China has disclosed details about its plan to send astronauts to the moon for the first time by 2030 and establish a lunar research station to explore the only natural satellite of the Earth.

The blueprint includes first using two carrier rockets to launch a lunar lander and a manned spacecraft into lunar orbit, Zhang Hailian, deputy chief of the China Manned Space Engineering Office, said during a summit in Wuhan today. The two spacecraft will then rendezvous and dock in orbit, and the taikonauts will transfer from the spacecraft to the lunar lander.

Consequently, the lunar lander will separate and land on a designated area of the moon, where the taikonauts will conduct scientific exploration and collect samples. After that, the Chinese space pioneers will take off from the moon on the lander and dock with the spacecraft in orbit. They will then board the spacecraft with the lunar samples and head back home, Zhang explained.

To this end, researchers are currently developing CZ10 carrier rockets, a new generation of manned spacecraft, lunar landers, lunar rovers, and other equipment, the expert added.

Editor: Emmi Laine