China releases latest development of manned lunar rover

China is pressing ahead with its mission to land astronauts on the moon by 2030, moving quickly with development and construction efforts to turn this goal into reality, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced at a press conference on Tuesday.

Production and ground tests of prototypes of the Long March-10 carrier rocket, the manned spacecraft Mengzhou, the lunar lander Lanyue, the spacesuit to be worn by astronauts and the manned lunar rover are underway as planned, said Lin Xiqiang, spokesman for the CMSA.

Lin also revealed the latest progress in the development of manned lunar rover during the press conference.

"In the selection process for the manned lunar rover plans, after two rounds of preferential choice, the teams from Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and the China Academy of Space Technology secured the top two spots. Each team showcased unique characteristics in innovation and advancement. Both have won the contract for the prototype development of the lunar rover, and are progressing with their respective projects. Following the completion of the preliminary development phase, a competition will be held to determine the team responsible for the lunar rover in China's first manned lunar mission," said Lin.

Lin said that they will also launch a call for suggestions concerning the rover's name.

China has already initiated the lunar landing phase of its manned lunar exploration program -- with a goal to achieve a manned lunar landing by 2030. The plan is to launch two carrier rockets to send a manned spacecraft and a lunar lander, respectively, into lunar orbit. The spacecraft and lunar lander will rendezvous and dock with each other, after which the astronauts will enter the lander.

According to Lin, a batch of ten astronauts will be engaged in a training regimen aimed at manned lunar landing missions.

These astronauts are scheduled to acquire skills in maneuvering spacecraft and operating lunar rovers, and will be trained to master techniques for identifying celestial bodies and conducting geological surveys. During their training they will also be exposed to the unique conditions of space, such as weightlessness in orbit, and the challenges of moving in lunar gravity on the moon's surface.

China releases latest development of manned lunar rover

China releases latest development of manned lunar rover

China has established more than 5,500 green mines at or above the provincial level, marking positive progress in the country's green mining development, an official from the Ministry of Natural Resources said at a news conference in Beijing on Tuesday ahead of this year's World Earth Day.

According to Dong Qingji, deputy director general of the Ministry of Natural Resources' department of mineral resources protection and supervision, green mining requirements have been written into the Mineral Resources Law and the Ecological Environment Code, providing strong legal backing. A working system featuring government guidance, departmental coordination, enterprise leadership and public supervision is now largely in place.

China is accelerating the construction of green mines and will organize the selection of a new batch of national-level green mines. Currently, there are over 1,000 national-level green mines and more than 4,500 provincial-level green mines in the country.

Looking ahead, the ministry will continue to promote the construction and operation of all newly built mines in accordance with green mine standards, while speeding up the green transformation and upgrading of existing operating mines. For mines that have not yet initiated green transition, they are required to launch green mine construction as soon as possible, fulfill their obligations for ecological restoration in mining areas, and strengthen ecological restoration and governance in these areas.

China builds over 5,500 green mines, advances sustainable mining