China to carry out scientific exploration during manned lunar mission

BEIJING -- The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Monday released an announcement to solicit proposals for payloads of the country's manned lunar mission, which will be used for scientific exploration on the moon's surface.

To make full use of the mission's resources and promote lunar exploration and scientific research, the lunar lander will carry scientific payload for relevant exploration activities on the lunar surface, according to the announcement.

It said the CMSA will solicit proposals from research institutions, universities and high-tech enterprises for payloads designed to face the frontier of lunar scientific research with strong foresight and innovation.

The proposals should focus on fields such as lunar geology and lunar physics, observation, space life sciences, as well as deep drilling on the lunar surface and utilization of lunar resources, it added.

The CMSA announced in May that China plans to realize manned lunar landing by 2030. It also released an announcement to solicit proposals for the country's first manned lunar rover, which will be driven by two astronauts.