CHINA ASTRONAUTS TO LAND ON MOON

China plans to place astronauts on the moon before 2030 and expand the country’s orbiting space station.
China’s latest announcement came against the backdrop of rivalry with the US for reaching new milestones in outer space.
The US aims to put astronauts back on the lunar surface by the end of 2025 as part of a renewed commitment to crew missions aided by private sector players such as SpaceX and blue origin.
The three crew onboard the China’s Shenzou-16 mission will replace a crew that has been on the orbiting station since last 6 months.
The overall goal is to achieve China’s first manned landing on the moon by 2030 and carry out lunar scientific exploration and related technological experiments.
China’s first manned space mission in 2003 made it the third country after the USSR and the US to put a person into space.
China in the past successfully launched uncrewed missions to the moon which included a rover. China has also sent a rover to Mars.
China built its own space station after it was excluded from the international Space station largely due to US’s objections.

SOURCE: THE HINDU, THE ECONOMIC TIMES, PIB

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