China is getting closer to landing people on the moon: it completes its first manned landing and takeoff test.

China has successfully completed a comprehensive landing and takeoff test of its manned lunar lander at a test site in Hebei Province, northern China.

The test, completed on August 6, represents a key step in the development of China's manned lunar exploration program and marks the first time China has conducted a test of a manned spacecraft's extraterrestrial landing and takeoff capability, the China Manned Space Agency reported. The ultimate goal is for the Chinese to set foot on the moon before 2030.

The lunar lander, named Lanyue (meaning "embrace the Moon"), consists of a lander and a propulsion module. It is a newly developed spacecraft designed to support manned missions to and from the Moon.

It will be used to transport two taikonauts between lunar orbit and the lunar surface, and will carry a lunar rover and other scientific payloads.

After landing, the lander will serve as a life support center, power center, and data center, providing assistance and serving as a base for the taikonauts' stay and activities on the lunar surface.

Highlighting the complexity of the test, its long cycle, and the technical challenges it posed, the space agency stated that the success represents a major step forward in the research and development of China's manned lunar exploration program.

The test site is the largest in Asia for testing landings on extraterrestrial bodies. It can simulate lunar gravity and terrain.

Wang Xiaolei, a staff member at the China Academy of Space Technology, said the site witnessed the first hovering and obstacle avoidance test of a Chinese Mars probe.

"Compared to the Mars lander, the most distinctive feature of the lunar lander is its ability to carry taikonauts, so the key to the design is to ensure the absolute safety of the taikonauts," Wang said.

"All the tests we conducted were aimed at ensuring the taikonauts landed safely on the moon and returned to Earth."

Wang noted that the manned lunar lander was much larger and heavier than an unmanned one, and the landing task would be more difficult. Furthermore, the number and frequency of pre-mission tests for the lunar lander were also greater than those for unmanned lander.

Currently, the Lanyue lunar module is still in the prototype stage and will enter the final development phase only after all tests are completed, Wang said.

China aims to land its taikonauts on the moon before 2030 for the purpose of scientific exploration. Its manned lunar landing mission is progressing well. Several experiments have been completed with the carrier rocket and manned spacecraft.