China Unveils Its 2026 Spaceflight Roadmap: Long March 10A & Mengzhou-1 Set for Launch—Dedicated Lunar Landing Vehicle in the Spotlight

Fast Technology reported on December 16 that, according to an official announcement from China’s human spaceflight program, the “2026 Crewed Spaceflight Mission Logo Collection” has officially launched to solicit mission emblems for upcoming flights.

Notably, the announcement also offers a clearer look at China’s planned launch schedule for 2026.

Under the current 2026 crewed mission arrangement, the Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft will dock with the aft port of the space station’s core module after launch.

Following their respective launches, the Shenzhou-23 and Shenzhou-24 crewed spacecraft will dock with the core module’s radial port and forward port, respectively.

In addition, the Mengzhou-1 crewed spacecraft (designation MZ-1) will fly in an uncrewed configuration in 2026. After launch, it is scheduled to dock with the core module’s radial port.

Mengzhou is China’s newly developed next-generation, reusable crewed spacecraft. Built as a comprehensive upgrade from the Shenzhou platform, it features a modular architecture consisting of a return capsule and a service module. In the future, it is expected to support both low-Earth orbit space station operations and crewed lunar exploration missions (with the lunar variant designated “Mengzhou-Y”).

For 2026, China plans to conduct the uncrewed flight test of Mengzhou-1, marking the spacecraft’s first mission. The spacecraft will be launched with an escape tower for additional safety assurance during ascent.

The plan also includes missions involving the Long March 10 / Long March 10A launch vehicle configurations. Long March 10 (CZ-10) is China’s new-generation crew-rated launch vehicle, designed with a three-stage architecture and two boosters. It is expected to play a central role in future crewed lunar missions, launching both the Mengzhou-Y crewed spacecraft and the Lanyue lunar lander.

Long March 10A (CZ-10A) is a derivative of Long March 10 and is described as a partially reusable launch vehicle focused on near-Earth orbit missions. Its maiden flight is planned for 2026, and it is slated to support the Mengzhou-1 uncrewed flight test mission.

China has stated that it aims to achieve a crewed lunar landing before 2030. The program is expected to include lunar scientific exploration and technology demonstrations, with goals such as mastering key capabilities for crewed Earth–Moon round trips, short-duration surface stays, and human–robot collaborative exploration—supporting a full “land, roam, sample, research, and return” mission profile and building an independent crewed lunar exploration capability.