An official website of the Republic of Ainare
Asteria-H
Block 2 heavy-lift launch vehicle
A three-stage crew-rated vehicle capable of placing 132 tonnes in low Earth orbit and 47 tonnes on a translunar trajectory.
111.2 m · 3,240 t · 36.9 MN02
AINARE LUNAR EXPLORATION PROGRAM
ALEP
A long-term campaign to explore the Moon with people and robotic systems, combining scientific return, crew safety, repeatable access and responsible stewardship.
ALEP15
CURRENT CREWED MISSION
Crewed Lunar South Polar Expedition
Conduct a crewed scientific expedition at the lunar south pole and certify the systems required for progressively longer surface operations.
FLIGHT READINESS CERTIFICATION
MISSION BRIEF
A six-day polar field expedition
Mission data current as of 16 July 2026. Dates remain subject to program and flight-readiness review.
ALEP 15 will send four crew members to lunar orbit. Wang Pintang and Chen Xiaoxuan will transfer to Dawn for a surface expedition at de Gerlache–Shackleton Ridge 2; Lei Xiao and Zhang Kaihao will remain aboard Resolve.
- Launch site
- Cape Halcyon Space Center · LC-3A
- Launch vehicle
- Asteria-H Block 2
- Crew spacecraft
- Vela · Resolve
- Lunar lander
- Ardea · Dawn
- Landing target
- de Gerlache–Shackleton Ridge 2
- Earth recovery
- 10 October 2026 · 18:05 UTC
014
Crew
Two crew members descend to the surface
023
Planned EVAs
Approximately 22 hours total
03≥18 km
Surface mobility
Rook-1 unpressurized rover
04312 kg
Science payload
Nine certified investigations
05≥65 kg
Sample objective
Documented and temperature-controlled
06104 × 117 km
Mission orbit
Near-polar lunar orbit
FLIGHT PLAN
ALEP 15 mission milestones
The lander is already in lunar orbit. Crew and flight systems are completing final joint certification.
01
Dawn lander launched
ALEP 15-L departed Cape Halcyon aboard Asteria-H.
02
Lunar polar orbit achieved
Dawn entered its certified staging orbit and began commissioning.
03
Crew integration review
Resolve, Asteria-H and mission-control teams are in final joint certification.
04
Crew launch
Target liftoff at 11:16 UTC, subject to flight-readiness review.
05
Lunar surface landing
Dawn targets DGR-2 at 02:34 UTC.
06
Earth recovery
Resolve targets Recovery Area 5 southeast of Ainare.
FLIGHT ARCHITECTURE
Four systems. One expedition.
A modular architecture separates crew transport, lunar landing, surface mobility and relay communications.
Vela
Deep-space crew vehicle · Resolve
Provides Earth–Moon transport, lunar-orbit residence, rendezvous, high-energy re-entry and contingency shelter.
4 crew · 24 d independent · 180 d dockedArdea
Lunar landing system · Dawn
A methane–oxygen descent and ascent system pre-deployed to lunar polar orbit by ALEP 15-L.
22.6 t wet · 2 crew · 8 d surfaceRook-1
Unpressurized lunar rover
Carries geologic tools, a 2.5-m drill, sealed sample containers and a Beacon relay terminal.
2 crew · 25 km rated rangeALEP 15 CREW
Four people. Two flight elements.
The crew was assigned in March 2026 after completion of medical, systems and mission-role certification.
Full crew biographies↗
FP-01王品棠
Wang Pintang
Mission CommanderSurface commander · first EVA
FP-02陈潇漩
Chen Xiaoxuan
Lunar Systems PilotSurface science lead
FP-03雷宵
Lei Xiao
Vela PilotLunar-orbit operations
FP-04章开皓
Zhang Kaihao
Mission SpecialistFlight engineering · robotics · crew medical
CONCEPT IMAGE · LUNAR POLAR SCIENCE PACKAGE
LUNAR SCIENCE
Read the record held in ice, dust and stone.
The DGR-2 site provides access to ancient crustal material, long-duration illumination and the edge of a permanently shadowed environment.
- 01
Measure the lateral and vertical distribution of south-polar volatiles.
- 02
Acquire cryogenically preserved regolith near a permanently shadowed region.
- 03
Deploy the Lunar Polar Science Package and a 2.5-m continuous core drill.
- 04
Characterize charged dust, adhesion and abrasion across a full surface cycle.
- 05
Validate polar navigation, continuous communications and long-range field operations.
- 06
Assess candidate infrastructure sites for ALEP 16 and later expeditions.
PROGRAM HISTORY
From ALEP 1 to ALEP 15
A program record that includes qualification flights, five landings, one landing cancellation, a fifty-year operational reserve and a modern renewal.
ALEP authorized
A phased national program for crewed lunar flight is approved on 4 March.
ALEP 1
The first uncrewed command module completes high-energy re-entry and ocean recovery.
ALEP 6
A crew completes lunar-orbit operations and a full landing rehearsal.
ALEP 7
The world's first crewed lunar landing is completed on 23 December.
ALEP 9
A landing is cancelled in lunar orbit after a propulsion-control discrepancy; the crew returns safely.
ALEP 12
The fifth landing concludes the First Lunar Era with 118.6 kg of samples.
ALEP renewed
The government authorizes a modular, repeatable lunar exploration architecture.
ALEP 13
The uncrewed Asteria-H and Vela end-to-end flight test is completed.
ALEP 14
Four crew members complete 63 lunar orbits and remote surface robotics operations.
ALEP 15
ANSA targets a six-day crewed expedition at the lunar south pole.
05SUCCESSFUL CREWED LANDINGS
315 h 01 mCUMULATIVE SURFACE TIME
117.3 kmCREWED ROVER DISTANCE
356.5 kgLUNAR MATERIAL RETURNED
NEXT MAJOR EVENT
Flight Readiness Review
Final agency certification of the launch vehicle, spacecraft, crew, range and recovery system.
28 AUG 2026ANSA HEADQUARTERS · AVERIN
Mission updates