Namrata Goswami
The Moon is increasingly seen as a hub for future industrial activities, infrastructure, and strategic leverage. Both countries have clear ambitions for lunar exploration and development, including crewed missions by 2030 (China) and 2040 (India), but their approaches differ in speed, scope, institutional setup, and technological readiness.
Overall, the paths of China and India in space show how Asian space powers are fundamentally transforming the global distribution of capabilities and influence in cislunar space. Any analysis of the Moon and cislunar space that does not consider the future implications of China and India’s lunar programs is severely limited in its impact and ability to provide a deeper understanding of why the Moon is becoming a key asset and contributor to space power.
China: Long-term Cislunar Strategy
China’s cislunar strategy is characterized by its organized structure and consistent strategic emphasis. Officially announced in 2004, China’s early Chang’e missions focused on orbital reconnaissance, while later missions, beginning with Chang’e 3, featured deliberate surface landings, rover operations, sample return, and far-side exploration. The Chang’e-4 landing on the Moon’s far side in 2019 demonstrated China’s skill in precision landing, autonomous navigation, and long-distance communications via a relay satellite (Queqiao), establishing a unique operational foothold. The Chang’e-5 sample-return mission in 2020 further showcased China’s capacity to perform technically complex maneuvers, including soft landing, automated drilling, ascent from the lunar surface, and orbital rendezvous, demonstrating all the essential components required for future crewed activity.
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