China’s lunar base plan targets the moon’s south pole by 2035

China plans to establish a lunar base at the moon’s south pole by 2035, with the project divided into two major phases. The ambitious initiative, led by China with support from Russia, is part of the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) program. The plan, initially outlined in June 2021, involves building a simple robotic lunar base, which would require five super-heavy rocket launches between 2030 and 2035.

At the recent International Deep Space Exploration Conference held in Anhui on September 5, Wu Yanhua, the chief designer of China’s deep space exploration project, said revealed further details of the plan. Phase one is expected to be completed in 2035, with a more extensive model planned for around 2050. This will involve the development of an extensive lunar station network. It will use the lunar station as a central hub and establish exploration nodes on the lunar equator and the far side of the moon.

Energy and communication networks

The ILRS is expected to be powered by a combination of solar, radioisotope and nuclear generators. The network will include Earth-Moon communications links and high-speed lunar surface communications systems. The project also aims to deploy lunar vehicles such as hoppers, long-range unmanned vehicles and manned rovers, both pressurized and unpressurized.

Partnerships and global collaboration

During the conference, it was announced that Senegal had become the 13th country to join the project. While China and Russia are leading the ILRS, the United States is the driving force behind the Artemis program, which aims to land astronauts on the moon in the coming years. Both countries aim to achieve this goal by the end of the decade.

In addition to lunar exploration, Wu stressed that the ILRS will also pave the way for future manned missions to Mars.