From lunar water hunts to Mars sample returns, China's space program is embarking on groundbreaking missions across the solar system, aiming for the moon, Mars and beyond.

China’s moon programme is part of a growing rivalry with the US – still the leader in space exploration – and others, including Japan and India. The US is planning to land astronauts on the moon for the first time in more than 50 years, though Nasa pushed the target date back to 2026 earlier this year.

NASA and China will need to discuss exchanges of data and mission plans as the two sides move to build sustainable presences on the moon, according to NASA chief Bill Nelson.

China has made great strides in exploring space in recent years, rocketing astronauts to its own space station and bringing back rocks from the moon

China unveils ambitious space program expansion, aiming for manned lunar mission and lunar space station by 2050.

China announced plans to launch a manned lunar mission, construct a lunar space station and explore habitable planets and extra-terrestrial life to expand its space programme in the next few decades.

China announced plans to launch a manned lunar mission, construct a lunar space station and explore habitable planets and extra-terrestrial life to expand its space programme. The national mid- and long-term development programme for space science will guide the country’s planning of space science missions and space research from 2024 to 2050.