Mengzhou

Mengzhou and Lanyue - China’s human lunar exploration vehicles

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) has announced the names of the space vehicles designed for human lunar exploration. The new crewed spacecraft is named Mengzhou (梦舟, “dream vessel”). The lunar lander is named Lanyue (揽月, “embracing the moon”).

Mengzhou  developed and manufactured by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). 

The prototype of the spacecraft underwent its first uncrewed test flight on 5 May 2020.

 Designed initially to  replace the Shenzhou spacecraft to ferry astronauts to the Tiangong Space Station in Earth orbit. China also hope to use it to conduct lunar exploration in conjunction with China's future lunar lander "Lanyue" by the end of this decade. It is expected to have crewed flight capability around 2025-2026.