Mengzhou & Lanyue Lunar System by China Manned Space Agency: status and timeline

Mengzhou & Lanyue Lunar System

Enable crewed lunar landings by 2030 and replace Shenzhou for Tiangong missions. Mengzhou pairs with the Lanyue lander for moon landings.

ProtoStage 2 of 5

Pad abort test 2025; max-Q test Feb 2026. Mengzhou 1 docking late 2026. Lunar missions 2030.

Updated Feb 2026Checked 11 Oct0 updates this week

Milestones

Next · Mengzhou 1 uncrewed orbital docking with Tiangong

Full-scale lunar-velocity reentry test2020Complete.
Pad abort system testJun 2025Complete.
In-flight abort test at maximum dynamic pressureFeb 2026Complete.
Mengzhou 1 uncrewed orbital docking with TiangongTarget Q4 2026Not yet reached.
Crewed Mengzhou flights beginTarget 2027Not yet reached.
Crewed lunar landing with Mengzhou and LanyueTarget 2030Not yet reached.

Most important updates

Upcoming

Q4 2026Mengzhou 1 uncrewed orbital docking with Tiangong (next)
2027Crewed Mengzhou flights begin
2027First crewed Mengzhou mission to Tiangong
2030Crewed lunar landing with Mengzhou and Lanyue

Current obstacles

Landing and ascent in one vehicleLanyue must handle both powered descent and ascent from the lunar surface, integrating complex orbital rendezvous with Mengzhou.
Safety certification for crewed flightAbort systems and landing gear must meet Chinese crewed flight safety standards; the max-Q abort test in February 2026 was a key verification step.

Physics limits

Two-stage complexity for lunar missionsUsing a separate lander module means managing rendezvous, docking, and crew transfer in lunar orbit, adding risk and mass compared to a single integrated spacecraft.
Reusability trade-offsReusable crew and lander modules are heavier than expendable designs but reduce mission costs; heat protection and structural durability limit flight rates.

How it works

3 parts

Crew module

Heat-shielded return capsule

A reusable crew module with heat protection for Earth return, sized for up to seven crew or three crew with 500 kg cargo.

Service module

Expendable propulsion and life support

An expendable service module provides propulsion, power, and life support for orbital operations and trans-lunar injection.

Dual-purpose design

Tiangong or lunar missions

Mengzhou operates alone for Tiangong station visits, or pairs with the Lanyue lander for lunar crewed missions, docking in lunar orbit.

Spec sheet

Spec	Mengzhou & Lanyue Lunar System
Crew capacity	6-7 astronauts or 3 astronauts + 500 kg cargo^R (reported)
Lanyue lunar crew	2 astronauts to lunar surface^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Update log

2 updates

Feb 2026

Major: Mengzhou spacecraft successfully completes in-flight abort test during maximum dynamic pressure phasePressTest

Aug 2025

Major: China's Lanyue lunar lander completes integrated landing and ascent verification testsPressTest

About China Manned Space Agency

The team behind Mengzhou & Lanyue Lunar System

China Manned Space Agency

Tiangong space station, crewed spaceflight

CMSA, founded 1993, oversees China's crewed spaceflight. Operates Tiangong, currently the only permanently crewed orbital station besides ISS and will be the sole operator after ISS retires in early 2031.

Tiangong: three modules (Tianhe core, Wentian and Mengtian labs) in T-shaped orbit.
Three-person crews rotate every six months; cross-shape expansion announced June 2026.
Will be sole crewed orbital outpost after ISS retires in early 2031; China's sole human presence.

Company profile →

Founded: 199333 yrs
Headquarters: China
Status: Public
Valuation: public
Works in: SpaceflightCrew & stations
Coverage: 3 programs · 8 updateslatest 22 Jun 2026checked 10 Oct
Partners: China National Space Administration
Suppliers: China Academy of Space Technology
People: Hao ChunDirectorLin XiqiangDeputy Director

Spec

Mengzhou & Lanyue Lunar System

Crew capacity

6-7 astronauts or 3 astronauts + 500 kg cargo^R (reported)

Lanyue lunar crew

2 astronauts to lunar surface^R (reported)