The Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP; ), also known as the Chang'e Project () after the Chinese Moon goddess Chang'e, is the first and ongoing series of robotic Moon missions by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), part of the Chinese space program.

Chang'e 1 (2007) and Chang'e 2 (2010) orbited the Moon, surveying potential landing sites. Chang'e 3 (2013) deployed China's first lander and rover, Yutu. Chang'e 4 (2019) made the world's first landing on the far side of the Moon; its Yutu-2 became the longest-lived lunar rover. Chang'e 5 (2020) provided the world's first lunar sample return since Luna 24 in 1974, also conducting the first robotic lunar orbit docking. Chang'e 6 (2024) retrieved the first ever lunar far side samples.

Support missions include Queqiao-1 (2018) and Queqiao-2 (2024), communications satellites in halo and frozen orbits respectively, for coverage of the far side and lunar south pole. Chang'e 5-T1 (2014) tested the reentry capsule and docking technology needed for sample returns. Larger payloads from Chang'e 5 onwards use the heavy lift Long March 5 rocket; the Chang'e 3 and 4 landers used the Long March 3B.

China plans Chang'e 7 (late 2026) and Chang'e 8 (2028), which will explore the lunar south pole for ice, using multi-landing flying probes; the latter will test in situ resource utilization. China plans a crewed lunar landing in 2029 or 2030, using the Mengzhou orbiter and Lanyue lander, each launched by a super heavy-lift Long March 10 rocket. China aims to construct the International Lunar Research Station at the lunar south pole from 2031, collaborating with Roscosmos and 11 other countries. The Long March 9 super heavy-lifter is planned for this construction. The program previously saw collaboration with the European Space Agency on deep space telemetry and scientific payloads.

Engineering program The program encompasses lunar orbiters, landers, rovers and sample return spacecraft, launched using the Long March series of rockets. A human lunar landing component may have been added to the program, after China publicly announced crewed lunar landing plans by the year 2030 during a conference in July 2023.

The program's launches and flights are monitored by a telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C) system, which uses radio antennas in Beijing and antennas in Kunming, Shanghai, and Ürümqi to form a VLBI antenna. A proprietary ground application system is responsible for downlink data reception.

In 2019, China National Space Administration head Zhang Kejian announced that China is planning to build a scientific research station on the Moon's south pole "within the next 10 years".

Program structure

Ouyang Ziyuan, a geologist and chemical cosmologist, is the program's chief scientist. Ye Peijian serves as the program's chief commander and chief designer. Sun Jiadong, an aerospace engineer, is the program's general designer and Sun Zezhou is deputy general designer. The leading program manager is Luan Enjie.

The Chinese Lunar Exploration Program is divided into four main operational phases, with each mission serving as a technology demonstrator in preparation for future missions. International cooperation in the form of various payloads and a robotic station is invited by China. Phase I (robotic): Orbital missions The first phase entailed the launch of two lunar orbiters, and is now effectively complete.

Chang'e 1 was launched aboard a Long March 3A rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center on 24 October 2007, having been delayed from the initial planned date of 17–19 April 2007. It scanned the entire Moon in unprecedented detail, generating a high definition 3D map that would provide a reference for future soft landings. The probe also mapped the abundance and distribution of various chemical elements on the lunar surface as part of an evaluation of potentially useful resources. Chang'e 2, launched on 1 October 2010 aboard a Long March 3C rocket, reached the Moon in under 5 days, compared to 12 days for Chang'e 1, and mapped the Moon in even greater detail. It then left lunar orbit and headed for the Earth–Sun Lagrangian point in order to test the TT&C network. Having done that it completed a flyby of asteroid 4179 Toutatis on 13 December 2012, before heading into deep space to further test the TT&C network.

Phase II (robotic): Soft landers/rovers

The second phase is ongoing, and incorporates spacecraft capable of soft-landing on the Moon and deploying lunar rovers.

Chang'e 3, launched on 2 December 2013 aboard a Long March 3B rocket, landed on the Moon on 14 December 2013. It carried with it a lunar rover named Yutu, which was designed to explore an area of during a 3-month mission. It was also supposed to conduct ultra-violet observations of galaxies, active galactic nuclei, variable stars, binaries, novae, quasars, and blazars, as well as the structure and dynamics of the Earth's plasmasphere. Chang'e 4 was launched on 7 December 2018. Originally scheduled for 2015, it was a back-up for Chang'e 3. However, as a result of the success of that mission, the configuration of Chang'e 4 was adjusted for the next mission. It landed on 3 January 2019 on the South Pole-Aitken Basin, on the far side of the Moon, and deployed the Yutu-2 rover.

Phase III (robotic): Sample-return The third phase included a lunar sample-return mission.

Chang'e 5-T1 was launched on 23 October 2014. It was designed to test the lunar return spacecraft. Chang'e 5 was launched on 23 November 2020, landed near Mons Rümker on the Moon on 1 December 2020, and returned to Earth with of lunar samples back to Earth.

Phase IV (robotic): Lunar robotic research station Phase IV is the development of an autonomous lunar research station near the Moon's south pole.China's Planning for Deep Space Exploration and Lunar Exploration before 2030. (PDF) XU Lin, ZOU Yongliao, JIA Yingzhuo. Space Sci., 2018, 38(5): 591-592. A Tentative Plan of China to Establish a Lunar Research Station in the Next Ten Years. Zou, Yongliao; Xu, Lin; Jia, Yingzhuo. 42nd COSPAR Scientific Assembly. Held 14–22 July 2018, in Pasadena, California, USA, Abstract id. B3.1-34-18. The Phase IV program entered active development in 2023 following the successful completion of the previous three phases.

Chang'e 6, launched on 3 May 2024, investigated the topography, composition and subsurface structure of the South Pole–Aitken basin on the far side of the Moon. The mission returned samples to Earth from Apollo Basin on the far side of the Moon.Lunar program next plan It also carried a Chinese rover called Jinchan to conduct infrared spectroscopy of lunar surface and imaged Chang'e 6 lander on lunar surface. Chang'e 7, expected to launch in 2027, is a mission that will explore the south pole for resources. The mission will include an orbiter, a lander, and a mini-flying probe. Chang'e 8, expected to launch in 2028, will verify in-situ resource development and utilization technologies. It may include a lander, a rover, and a flying detector, as well as a 3D-printing experiment using in situ resource utilization (ISRU) to test-build a structure,Chang'e 4 press conference. CNSA, broadcast on 14 January 2019. It will also transport a small sealed ecosystem experiment. It will test technology necessary to the construction of a lunar science base.Future Chinese Lunar Missions. David R. Williams, NASA. Accessed on 7 November 2019.

Crewed mission phase China plans to conduct its first crewed lunar landing in 2029 or 2030. This will use the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft and the Lanyue crewed lunar lander; they will launch separately on two Long March 10 rockets, and conduct lunar orbit rendezvous. China's crewed lunar program is also developing the lunar space suit and the crewed lunar rover.

In 2019, China was reviewing preliminary studies for a crewed lunar landing mission in the 2030s,China lays out its ambitions to colonize the moon and build a "lunar palace". Echo Huang, Quartz. 26 April 2018.China prepares first manned mission to the Moon. Ben Blanchard, Independent. 7 June 2017. and possibly building an outpost near the lunar south pole with international cooperation.

On 12 July 2023, at the 9th China (International) Commercial Aerospace Forum in Wuhan, Hubei province, Zhang Hailian, a deputy chief designer with the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), publicly introduced a preliminary plan to land two astronauts on the Moon by the year 2030

On 28 September 2024, in Chongqing, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) unveiled the extravehicular lunar spacesuit and also solicited suggestions for a name for the suit.

2035 and thereafter: International Moon base and application

In 2021, China and Russia announced they will be building a Moon base together, also formally invited more countries and international organizations to join their International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) project being developed by the two nations, as an alternative to the American Artemis Program. China announced on April 24 the International Lunar Research Station Cooperation Organization (ILRSCO) with members including: China, Russia, South Africa, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Venezuela, Pakistan and Egypt.

List of missions

Conducted missions

Mission Launch date Launch vehicle Orbital insertion date Landing date Return date Notes Status Mainmission ExtendedmissionPhase 1 Chang'e 1 24 Oct 2007 Long March 3A 7 Nov 2007 - Lunar orbiter; first Chinese lunar mission. Chang'e 2 1 Oct 2010 Long March 3C 6 Oct 2010 - - Lunar orbiter; following lunar orbit mission flew extended mission to 4179 Toutatis. Phase 2 Chang'e 3 1 Dec 2013 Long March 3B 6 Dec 2013 - Lunar lander and rover; first Chinese lunar landing, landed in Mare Imbrium with Yutu 1. Queqiao 1 20 May 2018 Long March 4C 14 Jun 2018 - - Relay satellite located at the Earth-Moon L2 point in order to allow communications with Chang'e 4. Chang'e 4 7 Dec 2018 Long March 3B 12 Dec 2018 - Lunar lander and rover; first soft landing on the Far side of the Moon, landed in Von Karman crater with Yutu-2. Phase 3 Chang'e 5-T1 23 Oct 2014 Long March 3C 10 Jan 2015 - 31 Oct 2014 Experimental test flight testing technologies ahead of first Lunar sample return; tested return capsule and lunar orbit autonomous rendezvous techniques and other maneuvers. Chang'e 5 23 Nov 2020 Long March 5 28 Nov 2020 16 Dec 2020 Lunar orbiter, lander, and sample return; which landed near Mons Rümker and returned 1731g of lunar soil to Earth. The service module made a visit to Lagrange point L1 and also performed a lunar flyby in extended mission. Phase 4 Queqiao 2 20 Mar 2024 Long March 8 24 Mar 2024 - - Lunar Relay satellite to support communications for the upcoming lunar missions, including Chang'e 6, 7 and 8. Chang'e 6 3 May 2024 Long March 5 8 May 2024 25 Jun 2024 Lunar orbiter, lander, rover, and sample return; landed at the South Pole–Aitken basin on the far side of the Moon.

Upcoming missions Mission Launch date Launch vehicle Mission type NotesPhase 4 Chang'e 7 2027 Long March 5 Lunar surface survey Lunar orbiter, lander, rover, and mini-flying probe; expected to perform in-depth exploration of the lunar south pole to look for resources. Chang'e 8 2028 Long March 5 Lunar surface survey Full mission details are currently unknown; will test ISRU and 3D-printing technologies, ahead of future crewed exploration of the Moon. 1st crewed lunar mission 2029-2030 Long March 10 Human landing on lunar surface 2 launches using the Long March 10 to place two astronauts on the lunar surface via the Mengzhou crewed lunar spacecraft and the Lanyue crewed lunar lander.

Key technologies

Long-range TT&C