China is developing low-cost lunar cargo options for its expanding moon program

HELSINKI — A state-owned space contractor has unveiled a concept for an “economical lunar cargo transport” system as China prepares for construction of a lunar base.

An exhibit put on display by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) at the Shanghai Commercial Aerospace Conference and Exhibition 2026 (CACE 2026) shows a concept for a cylindrical lander, described as an “economical lunar cargo transport” system.

State media Xinhua published a photograph of the exhibit March 13 along with other articles on display at CACE 2026. Meanwhile, further information shared on Chinese social media showed related footage of a demonstration vehicle conducting propulsive liftoff, hover, hazard avoidance and landing tests. The display states the lander would use methane-liquid oxygen propulsion, rather than the hypergolic propellants used on earlier Chinese deep-space spacecraft.

The concept proposes a family of cargo landers capable of delivering between 120 kilograms and 5,000 kg to the lunar surface, potentially supporting scientific payload delivery, rover deployment, infrastructure installation or base construction support. The tiered payload classes suggest a logistics architecture capable of supporting regular cargo deliveries to the lunar surface, suggesting a shift in China from single flagship lander missions.

The development follows an announcement by the Shanghai Institute of Space Propulsion (SISP) in early February that it had tested a 300-newton methalox engine near Shanghai. SISP, like SAST, is part of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

There is, as yet, no apparent official announcement of a Chinese lunar cargo program. However, the country has long stated its plan to construct a moon base known as the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) and a supporting logistics program could play a role.

China’s annual political sessions are currently ongoing in Beijing, where a new Five-Year Plan is being deliberated and set to be approved, setting China’s agenda for the period 2026-2030. A draft of the plan includes the goals of verifying the construction of an international lunar research station and implementing lunar exploration projects among its targets for deep space exploration.

The country is already testing hardware needed to send its astronauts to the moon before 2030, and will launch the Chang’e-7 lunar south pole lander mission later this year as a precursor to the ILRS. The ILRS outlined a series of missions as part of the ILRS construction phase, including sending communications and power units to the moon. Cargo and science mission options will also likely be a necessary part of the program. 

China’s human spaceflight agency, CMSEO, which is overseeing the crewed lunar project, has in recent years opened a call for low-cost cargo spacecraft options for the Tiangong space station. It also solicited proposals for a lunar orbiter to support the crewed mission, and for concepts for an unpressurized rover for the astronauts on the lunar surface. Together, these demonstrate an openness for competitive spacecraft selection and commercial involvement in its programs.

The SAST lander family could potentially offer an early glimpse of what will be a competition among concepts from other state-owned or commercial space actors, should CMSEO initiate a competitive procurement model for lunar cargo spacecraft proposals. Such a program would echo NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS), a part of the Artemis Program.