China Advances Toward Industrial-Scale Lunar Extraction Planning
- Feb 1
- 5 min read
China has shifted its lunar ambitions from exploration to early-stage industrialisation, launching national-level feasibility studies for its “Tiangong Kaiwu” space‑resource programme (to utilise and monetise space resources) and signalling intent to mine the Moon, particularly for helium‑3. Previously, China had indicated that it would aim for lunar extraction by around 2045 but seems to have picked up the pace.