During the International Conference on Deep Space Exploration, held on September 5 in the province of Anhui, the CNSA unveiled ambitious plans for the construction of a lunar base in collaboration with Russia.
The project, known as the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), will be developed in two main phases covering the next few decades, with the first step towards construction expected by 2035. The initial base will be located near the lunar south pole, an area considered strategic for space exploration.
In this first phase, the structure will be primarily managed by robots and will be supported by a series of launches with super heavy rockets, five of which are planned between 2030 and 2035.
Following this, by 2050, the base will be expanded with an extensive network of lunar stations, configuring a more complex system. Wu Yanhua, chief designer of the Chinese space exploration program, explained that this extended version of the ILRS will include not only a primary base at the south pole but also a network of exploratory stations located at other points on the Moon, such as the equator and the far side.
Additionally, a central hub in lunar orbit will be an integral part of the system. The power supply for the lunar station will be ensured by various advanced energy sources, including solar generators, radioisotopic, and nuclear generators.
Cutting-edge technologies will also be developed to ensure fast communications both between the Moon and Earth and on the lunar surface itself.
The vehicles used will include means such as a hopper (a vehicle that moves by hopping between different points), long-range unmanned rovers, and pressurized rovers for deeper explorations, some of which will be piloted. A significant aspect of the project is that this lunar infrastructure will serve as a springboard for future human missions to Mars, signaling a clear long-term interest by China in expanding its space exploration capabilities. Meanwhile, the conference revealed that Senegal has joined as the thirteenth country to participate in the ILRS project, indicating that the Chinese program is gaining increasing international support.
In parallel, NASA continues to develop the Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon within this decade but follows an independent approach compared to the ILRS project. With this project, China confirms its position as a growing leader in space, attracting international partners and strengthening its future ambitions in cosmic exploration.
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