Wu Weiren, China’s lunar exploration program chief designer, talks to reporters in Shanghai on April 23, 2025. Photo: Deng Xiaoci/GT

Having successfully carried out its three-step lunar exploration of orbiting, landing and sample return from the Earth's celestial neighbor, China is now implementing its Phase-4 lunar exploration program, advancing the Queqiao communications, navigation and remote sensing satellite constellation and planning the construction of the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), according to Wu Weiren, chief designer of China's lunar exploration program on Wednesday.

Wu made the remarks on the sidelines of the International Conference on Developers of the ILRS, a seminar held in Shanghai on Wednesday, as part of the national celebration of the upcoming 10th Space Day of China that falls on Thursday. 

ILRS is a China-initiated program that involves a multinational, comprehensive scientific research facility built on both the lunar surface and in lunar orbit, and it is designed for long-term autonomous operation with short-term human participation, Wu told reporters at the seminar.

The ILRS is expected to be expandable and maintainable, with ranging capabilities including Earth-moon transportation, power supply, central control, communication and navigation, lunar surface scientific exploration and ground support. The ILRS will support sustained scientific exploration, resource utilization and advanced technology verification through multidisciplinary, multi-objective and integrated scientific and technological activities, according to the scientist.

Responding to a media inquiry about the latest progress of the China-initiated ILRS, Wu shared more insights at the event by revealing that that China plans to implement the ILRS in two phases: the first phase aims to complete the construction of a basic version of the station by 2035, and the second phase will focus on upgrading this foundation into an expanded version by 2045. 

China will launch the Chang'e-7 lunar probe, a key part of the Phase-4 of the country's moon exploration program by around 2026, aiming to achieve orbiting, landing and roving on the moon as well as leaping between locations on the lunar surface with a focus on exploring the environment and resources in the lunar south pole region. The Queqiao-2 relay satellite will provide communication services for the Chang'e-7 mission, Wu disclosed on Wednesday. 

The Chang'e-8 mission, to be launched by a Long March-5 rocket by around 2029, will be tasked to conduct experimental verification of in-situ resource utilization on the moon and the construction of a lunar-based terrestrial ecosystem, Wu said. "The Chang'e-8 mission will work in coordination with Chang'e-7 and Queqiao-2 to establish the basic model of the ILRS," he said.

Elaborating on the Queqiao constellation, Wu explained that it will consist of an integrated interplanetary communications and navigation network composed of lunar orbiters, spacecraft at Earth-moon Lagrange points, interplanetary relay stations and planetary orbiters. It will be capable of carrying out tasks such as communications, navigation and positioning, timing services and scientific exploration. 

China has already initiated a feasibility study for the Queqiao Constellation System. In the future, the Queqiao network will serve not only as a communications bridge between the Earth and the moon, but also as a comprehensive interplanetary communications, navigation and remote sensing constellation system extending to Mars, Venus and other regions of the solar system, Wu announced. 

According to Wu, the ILRS initiative has received wide responses from many countries. To date, China has signed cooperation agreements with 17 countries and international organizations, as well as some 50 international research institutions. 

Wu described the approach to deepening international cooperation with the following words - "joint consultation, joint construction and shared benefits."

"Together with our partners, we are defining scientific and application goals, conducting site selection for the lunar surface and evaluating preliminary plans for scientific operation platforms," Wu said.

Looking ahead, we will carry out joint engineering development, onboard engineering and scientific payloads, construct ground facilities, formulate international rules and promote talent education and training, Wu said, adding that China will also share access to ground testing facilities, collaborate on scientific and application research and share the resulting scientific achievements.