The first Chinese may land on the Moon before 2030

China plans to send astronauts to the Moon before 2030, as revealed by Wang Xiang, a leader in the Chinese manned space and lunar exploration programs. The mission will involve three astronauts, with two landing on the lunar surface. The approach, termed "two launches, one landing," will utilize two Long March 10 rockets to send a lunar lander and a crewed spacecraft to the Moon. These will dock in lunar orbit, allowing two astronauts to transfer to the lander for descent. NASA is also considering a similar strategy for its manned lunar landing, originally scheduled for 2024 but likely delayed to 2028 or later. The U.S. plans to use a modified version of Elon Musk's Starship for its lunar missions, which is currently not ready for such operations. Additionally, there are concerns about delays in developing lunar landing suits, potentially pushing completion beyond 2031.