Overview

• On June 17, 2025, China Manned Space Engineering Office said Mengzhou’s solid-propellant abort engines fired at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, propelling the module to a safe altitude before parachutes and airbags delivered a controlled touchdown.
• This was China’s first crew module pad abort trial since 1998 and confirmed Mengzhou’s shift to an integrated system that handles both emergency escape and crew rescue without relying on the launch vehicle.
• Mengzhou’s two-module, modular design supports variants for low Earth orbit and lunar missions and can carry up to seven astronauts as part of China’s goal to land crew on the moon by 2030.
• China plans an in-flight abort test at maximum dynamic pressure later in 2025 as it continues development of the Long March-10 carrier rocket and a dedicated lunar lander.
• While China advances its crewed lunar capabilities, NASA’s Artemis program faces proposed budget cuts that could affect its crewed moon return timeline beyond the scheduled 2027 mission.