Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, northwest China - April 23, 2025 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of press briefing in progress, attendees
2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Lin Xiqiang, spokesman, China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) (ending with shot 3):
"Currently, the development of the crewed lunar landing mission is progressing smoothly. The Long March-10 carrier rocket, the manned spacecraft 'Mengzhou' (Dream Vessel), the lunar lander 'Lanyue' (Embracing the Moon), the moon-landing spacesuit 'Wangyu' (Gazing into the Cosmos) and the manned lunar rover 'Tansuo' (To Explore the Unknown), are all undergoing prototype research and development testing as planned. The lunar remote sensing satellite project has completed its approval and competitive selection processes. The development and construction of ground systems -- including the launch site, the measurement and control communication system, and the proposed landing site, are also advancing in an orderly manner and according to plan."
3. Various of attendees, press briefing in progress
4. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Lin Xiqiang, spokesman, China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) (starting with shot 3/partially overlaid with shot 5):
"These large-scale tests serve as the first comprehensive verification of new products and technologies. The tasks are challenging, the preparation is complex, and the timeline is tight, which brings significant risks and challenges. The entire project team will continue to embody the spirit shown in the development of the "two bombs, one satellite," [China's first atomic bomb, intercontinental ballistic missile and satellite] and in our manned spaceflight missions, work together with careful planning and determination to ensure the successful completion of all testing tasks, to lay a solid foundation for landing astronauts on the moon as scheduled."
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5. Attendees
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6. Press briefing in progress

Preparations for China's crewed moon landing mission are progressing soundly while multiple tests on related spacecraft which will undertake the historic mission will soon be conducted, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said on Wednesday.

The country has previously announced plans for a manned mission to the moon to take place before 2030 as it pushes ahead with its ambitious space program.

Lin Xiqiang, a spokesman for the CSMA, outlined the latest information on the groundbreaking lunar project during a press briefing at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, from which the Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship is set to be launched on Thursday.

"Currently, the development of the crewed lunar landing mission is progressing smoothly. The Long March-10 carrier rocket, the manned spacecraft 'Mengzhou' (Dream Vessel), the lunar lander 'Lanyue' (Embracing the Moon), the moon-landing spacesuit 'Wangyu' (Gazing into the Cosmos) and the manned lunar rover 'Tansuo' (To Explore the Unknown), are all undergoing prototype research and development testing as planned. The lunar remote sensing satellite project has completed its approval and competitive selection processes. The development and construction of ground systems -- including the launch site, the measurement and control communication system, and the proposed landing site, are also advancing in an orderly manner and according to plan," said Lin.

Several testing procedures involving the rocket, the manned spacecraft and the lunar lander have been completed, while subsequent large-scale tests will be conducted at the inland launch site of Jiuquan and at the coastal launch site of Wenchang in south China's Hainan Province, to comprehensively assess the critical functions and performance of the flight equipment, Lin added.

"These large-scale tests serve as the first comprehensive verification of new products and technologies. The tasks are challenging, the preparation is complex, and the timeline is tight, which brings significant risks and challenges. The entire project team will continue to embody the spirit shown in the development of the "two bombs, one satellite," [China's first atomic bomb, intercontinental ballistic missile and satellite] and in our manned spaceflight missions, work together with careful planning and determination to ensure the successful completion of all testing tasks, to lay a solid foundation for landing astronauts on the moon as scheduled," said Lin.

China has made a number of breakthroughs in space exploration in recent years, and saw a major milestone last June when the country's Chang'e-6 probe brought back nearly 2,000 grams of lunar material from the far side of the moon, marking a historic first in human history.

It had already become the first country to achieve a successful soft landing on the moon's previously unexplored far side with its Chang'e-4 mission back in 2019.

China aims to land its astronauts on the moon before 2030, with the purpose of conducting scientific exploration, according to the CMSA.