Chinese astronauts are hunting for a lunar landing by 2030. They've recently acquired a novel spacesuit to facilitate the endeavor.
The latest red-and-white attire, unveiled by the Chinese National Space Agency (CNSA) over the weekend, is engineered to endure the moon's extreme temperatures, radiation, and dust. It provides astronauts with the necessary physical flexibility to perform tasks on the lunar surface, as revealed by state media.
The space suit features an integrated long and short-range camera, an operations console, and a glare-resistant helmet visor, according to footage from state broadcaster CCTV. Popular Chinese astronauts, Zhai Zhigang and Wang Yaping, showcased the suit's flexibility by bending and climbing a ladder in the video.
International recognition has been granted to this innovative technology.
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, posted the CCTV video on platform X, accompanied by his own commentary.
"Meanwhile, back in America, the FAA is smothering the national space program in red tape!" he wrote, seemingly implying China's rapid advancement in space exploration compared to the United States.
CNN reached out to FAA for comment.
SpaceX's success and Elon Musk's personal wealth have been bolstered by substantial government contracts as NASA has embraced the private sector for space exploration and logistics.
Space Front-runner
China's exposure of the moon-landing spacesuit coincides with China's determination to establish itself as a global space power – a domain that nations, including the United States, are increasingly using for scientific gain and strategic resources.
The China National Space Administration has executed a series of increasingly complex robotic lunar missions, such as the first-ever retrieval of lunar samples from the moon's far side earlier this year. They aspire to become the second nation to place astronauts on the moon, with plans to launch their first crewed mission by 2030.
The US, which has not sent astronauts to the moon since 1972, is also planning to send a crew in this decade, although it has postponed the initial timeline for its Artemis III mission. This mission will not take off until at least September 2026, NASA revealed earlier this year. They unveiled a prototype of their Artemis III spacesuit, the AxEMU, in 2023.
China's new spacesuit was celebrated across state media as a significant stride in China's crewed mission schedule, with experts highlighting the necessity of a suit specifically tailored for lunar conditions rather than those used in spacewalks at China's Tiangong orbital space station.
The moon's thin exosphere makes it a challenging environment, with temperatures rising near the Moon's equator to 250°F (121°C) during the day and dropping to -208°F (-133°C) at night, as per NASA.
"During lunar extravehicular activities, astronauts will be in a harsh natural lunar environment. Complex environmental factors such as high vacuum, low gravity, lunar dust and lunar soil, intricate lunar surface terrain, extreme temperatures, and strong radiation will significantly impact work and protection," Wu Zhiqiang, deputy chief designer of astronaut systems at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center, told state broadcaster CCTV.
Furthermore, the aesthetics of the suit were also appreciated, with state media describing the red stripes on its upper limbs as inspired by ribbons from the "flying apsaras," or deities, and the lower limbs resembling "rocket launch flames."
Another designer, Wang Chunhui, told state media the suit's proportions would make the astronauts seem more spirited and majestic, representing China in a powerful and beautiful manner on the moon.
Earlier this year, Chinese officials announced the name of the spacecraft for the crewed lunar mission – with the spaceship named Mengzhou, or Dream Vessel, and the lander, Lanyue, or Embracing the Moon.
The mission is part of a broader set of lunar objectives, including China's ambition to establish an international lunar research station at the moon's south pole by 2040.
The new spacesuit's design incorporates stylish elements, such as red stripes inspired by Chinese mythology, aiming to make astronauts look spirited and majestic on the moon.
To effectively address the moon's extreme conditions, the Chinese National Space Agency focuses on creating a suit that blend functionality with an appealing style for their lunar missions.
