China Sets Sights on Lunar Expansion and Extraterrestrial Exploration

China has unveiled an ambitious plan to enhance its space programme by launching a manned lunar mission, constructing a lunar space station, and exploring habitable planets and extraterrestrial life. The roadmap outlines steps from 2024 to 2050, focusing on the solar system's origin and the search for extraterrestrial life.

China on Tuesday revealed a comprehensive plan to bolster its space programme, which includes launching a manned lunar mission, constructing a lunar space station, and searching for habitable planets and extraterrestrial life.

The roadmap, outlined by China's top space institutions, sets an ambitious agenda for space science development from 2024 through 2050. China's space agencies described 17 priority areas within five key themes, planning missions to explore the solar system's origin and the potential for extraterrestrial life.

This initiative is part of China's efforts to establish itself as a formidable space power, having already built an operational space station and conducted successful lunar explorations.

(With inputs from agencies.)