China's Lunar Ambitions: Progress Towards Establishing the International Lunar Research Station

Switzerland
China committed to lunar exploration and eventual habitation despite unusual inclusions in promotional materials
China inviting international partners to join International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) project
China making significant progress towards sending astronauts to the moon before end of decade
First phase of constructing comprehensive scientific facilities around lunar south pole by 2035 underway
ILRS will serve as comprehensive scientific experimental base for interdisciplinary research activities focusing on lunar exploration and utilization
Long March 10 rocket, Mengzhou crew spacecraft, lunar lander Lanyue, and lunar landing suits have all completed prototype production
China's Lunar Ambitions: Progress Towards Establishing the International Lunar Research Station

China is making significant strides towards achieving its goal of sending astronauts to the moon before the end of this decade. According to officials with the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO), major flight products such as the Long March 10 rocket, Mengzhou crew spacecraft, lunar lander Lanyue, and lunar landing suits have all completed prototype production. The first phase of constructing comprehensive scientific facilities with basic functions and essential supporting elements around the lunar south pole by 2035 is also underway. China has invited international partners to join this ambitious project, which currently includes Russia, Venezuela, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, South Africa, Egypt, Thailand, and Nicaragua.

The crewed lunar landing mission is part of China's wider plans to establish a robotic and eventually inhabited moon base known as the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). The ILRS will serve as a comprehensive scientific experimental base for interdisciplinary research activities focusing on lunar exploration and utilization. It will be capable of long-term independent operation, either on the lunar surface or in lunar orbit.

Despite these advancements, there have been some unusual inclusions in China's promotional materials. For instance, a CGI video released by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) shows a NASA Space Shuttle taking off from a launch pad in the background. However, it is important to note that NASA and China are not currently collaborating on space exploration projects.

The exact reason for this inclusion remains unclear, but it may be an oversight or an attempt at humor. Regardless, China's commitment to lunar exploration and eventual habitation continues to progress.



Confidence

90%

Doubts
  • No current collaboration between NASA and China on space exploration projects
  • Unclear reason for NASA Space Shuttle inclusion in CGI video

Sources

87%

  • Unique Points
    • China National Space Administration has shown off a CGI video of its vision of a lunar base
    • NASA Space Shuttle appearing in the CGI video despite being retired for over a decade and NASA and China not collaborating
  • Accuracy
    • China National Space Administration has shown off a CGI video of its vision of a lunar base with a NASA Space Shuttle
    • China's lunar base concept includes a NASA Space Shuttle
  • Deception (80%)
    The author is making an observation about a CGI video produced by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) that shows a NASA Space Shuttle taking off from a launch pad in the background. The author finds this to be strange and humorous due to the fact that NASA and China are not allowed to collaborate, and the Space Shuttle has been retired for over a decade. This can be considered an example of selective reporting as the author is only reporting details that support their position, while ignoring other important context such as CNSA's explanation for the inclusion of the Space Shuttle in their video or any potential reasons for why it may have been included unintentionally. The author also makes a statement about NASA accusing China's space program of hiding military experiments in Earth's orbit, which is not directly related to the topic at hand and can be considered editorializing.
    • But apart from bungling promotional videos, China’s space agency has made major headwinds in its efforts to explore space, from successfully landing a spacecraft on the far side of the Moon to building out an entire space station in a matter of just two years. In short, its marketing department may not exactly operate at the cutting edge, but if there’s one country that has proven that it can lead the charge in establishing a permanent presence on the lunar surface, it’s China.
    • NASA’s fleet of Shuttles flew a total of 135 missions between 1981 and 2011. It’s an especially ironic inclusion given growing US-China tensions. Just last month, NASA’s administrator Bill Nelson took aim at China, accusing its space program of hiding military experiments in Earth’s orbit.
    • The video is raising eyebrows for a bizarre cameo: a NASA Space Shuttle taking off from a launch pad in the distance.
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The author is making an observation about a CGI video produced by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) that shows a NASA Space Shuttle taking off from a launch pad in the background. This is an example of an Appeal to Authority fallacy, as the author is implying that this inclusion in the video indicates some sort of collaboration or approval between NASA and CNSA, which is not true. The author also makes several inflammatory statements about growing US-China tensions and NASA's accusations against China's space program. However, these statements are not directly related to the fallacy in question and do not affect the score.
    • The video is raising eyebrows for a bizarre cameo: a NASA Space Shuttle taking off from a launch pad in the distance.
    • It's either some next-level humor from the Chinese space program or a hilarious oversight, since the Shuttle has been retired for more than a decade – not to mention that China and NASA aren't even allowed to talk to each other, nevermind collaborate.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

88%

  • Unique Points
    • China National Space Administration plans to set up a lunar base by 2045
    • China’s lunar base concept includes a NASA Space Shuttle
  • Accuracy
    • China's lunar base concept includes a NASA Space Shuttle
    • NASA Space Shuttle appearing in the CGI video despite being retired for over a decade and NASA and China not collaborating
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

89%

  • Unique Points
    • China and Russia jointly announced the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) in 2021.
    • The first phase of the ILRS construction aims to establish comprehensive scientific facilities with basic functions and essential supporting elements around the lunar south pole by 2035.
    • China has invited international partners for the lunar base initiative, and so far, alongside China, Russia, Venezuela, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, South Africa Egypt Thailand and Nicaragua have joined the initiative.
  • Accuracy
    • China's lunar base plans include a NASA Space Shuttle
    • NASA Space Shuttle appearing in the CGI video despite being retired for over a decade and NASA and China not collaborating
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The author does not make any explicit fallacious statements in the article. However, there is an implicit appeal to authority when Wu Weiren's quotes are presented as fact without any critical analysis or context provided by the author. This reduces the score slightly.
    • an illustration of an expansive moon base featuring several different structures, vehicles and many solar panels
    • The moon serves as a starting point, and an international lunar research station will provide a platform for long-term scientific research, work and habitation, paving the way for future human exploration into deeper space.
    • One curious detail of the video is the presence of a retired NASA Space Shuttle appearing to lift off from a launch pad in the background.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

  • Unique Points
    • China is on track to achieve its goal of sending astronauts to the moon before the end of the decade, according to the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO).
    • Two Long March 10 lunar variant rockets will separately launch Mengzhou and three astronauts and the Lanyue lander, which will then perform a lunar orbit rendezvous and docking ahead of descent to the lunar surface.
    • Two astronauts will spend six hours on the lunar surface before rejoining their colleague in lunar orbit and returning to Earth.
    • New launch infrastructure is being built near China’s existing coastal spaceport at Wenchang, Hainan island to facilitate these missions.
    • Proposals for a crew lunar rover and lunar surface payloads are currently being selected from the public.
    • Astronaut training for the mission includes mastering operation of the Mengzhou and Lanyue spacecraft, handling normal and emergency flight conditions, rendezvous and docking, manually avoiding obstacles during descent, entering and exiting the lander, working in one-sixth of Earth’s gravity, long-range lunar roving, drilling, sampling and other scientific work on the lunar surface.
    • The crewed lunar landing mission is part of China’s wider plans to establish a robotic and eventually inhabited moon base known as the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS).
  • Accuracy
    • The International Lunar Research Station is a Chinese and Russian endeavor first announced in 2021.
    • China National Space Administration plans to set up a lunar base by 2045.
    • NASA retired its Space Shuttle fleet in 2011, relying on Russia’s Soyuz capsules to staff the International Space Station until the advent of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. (Article does not mention NASA's current collaboration with SpaceX)
    • China is currently developing ways to construct lunar habitats using bricks made of lunar soil and considering setting up shop inside ancient lunar lava tubes.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication