On April 24, 2026, China marks its 11th Space Day. Having unveiled its long-term manned lunar landing plan in 2023, China targets sending astronauts to the moon by 2030 via a three-step mission with the new "Mengzhou" spacecraft and "Lanyue" lunar lander.

Key progress was made on February 11, 2026, with successful Long March-10 rocket and spacecraft tests in Wenchang.

Chang'e-7 will launch in the second half of 2026 to explore the lunar south pole, while Chang'e-8, scheduled for around 2028–2029, will help build the basic International Lunar Research Station.

Led by China, the ILRS will be completed in two phases by 2035 and 2045, with 17 countries and relevant international institutions joining the project for shared lunar exploration.