China says it is on track to put boots on Moon by 2030 as Nasa's Artemis struggles with delay
China 's plans to put boots on the Moon by 2030 are on track with tests proceeding as per schedule, the country's space agency said, following an early trial of its lunar landing spacecraft last week.
The Asian giant's timeline to land astronauts back on the Moon is still behind the schedule of Nasa 's Artemis II crewed mission, which has been delayed until 2027.
Last week, China's space agency announced the successful trial of its prototype Mengzhou next-generation reusable spacecraft and the Lanyue lunar surface lander, adding that their development was 'progressing smoothly', SCMP reported.
In subsequent months, the space agency plans to test the safety and reliability of the country's three-stage superheavy rocket, Long March 10, as well as the Mengzhou spacecraft.
Mengzhou has two modules, one that would return to Earth, and another expendable module to provide propulsion, power and life support for a crew of about six astronauts while they are in space.
'The Long March 10 and Mengzhou spacecraft are carrying out prototype development and testing as planned,' said Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
Further ground tests would also assess the spacecraft's emergency escape systems, developed to get the crew to safety in the event of a launch failure.
In earlier reports, the space agency said it expected the spacecraft to attain crewed flight capability around 2027-2028.
'We will strive to ensure the successful completion of all tests to lay a solid foundation for launching humans to the moon as scheduled,' the CMSA deputy director said.
Meanwhile, Nasa's Artemis III crewed mission to the lunar surface has been facing a series of delays.
Both the Chinese and American missions are aiming for a landing near the lunar south pole thought to be rich in water-ice, a resource critical for establishing bases.
Nasa announced in December that its mission to put boots on the Moon would be delayed to mid-2027, after problems were discovered with the heat shield on its Orion spacecraft.
Extensive tests found that material on the spacecraft's heat shield wore away differently than expected.
The heat shield is supposed to provide thermal protection for Orion's crew from the nearly 2,760 degrees Celsius (5,000 degrees Fahrenheit) of temperatures generated when Orion returns through Earth's atmosphere.
The American space agency has been testing changes to Orion's trajectory and enhancements to the heat shield to ensure the spacecraft can keep the crew safe.
'The updates to our mission plans are a positive step toward ensuring we can safely accomplish our objectives at the Moon and develop the technologies and capabilities needed for crewed Mars missions,' said Catherine Koerner, associate administrator for Nasa's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate.
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South Wales Guardian
29 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Girls and black children face inequalities in transplant treatment, study shows
Academics found that some children in need of a kidney transplant are facing inequalities in their care. Black children are less likely to be put on the transplant waiting list, as are those from more deprived backgrounds, researchers from the University of Bristol found. There are currently 137 children aged 17 and under on the kidney transplant waiting list in the UK. Researchers set out to examine whether inequalities exist in access to kidney transplantation among children in the UK by analysing the UK Renal Registry and NHS Blood and Transplant data between 1996 and 2020. They found that girls were 12% less likely to be put on a transplant waiting list compared to boys. Children from the poorest backgrounds were 33% less likely to be put on the waiting list compared to those from the wealthiest. And black children were 19% less likely to be put on the waiting list compared to their white peers. Once children are on the waiting list, the disparities related to gender and income appeared to reduce, but disadvantages for black children persisted. 'We were particularly struck by how early these disparities appear in the transplant process,' said Dr Alice James, lead author of the study. 'It's not just about who gets a transplant, but who even gets considered in the first place. 'Those from black ethnic backgrounds face systemic disadvantages even after being placed on the waitlist, including fewer living donor opportunities.' When looking at kidney transplants given by a living donor within two years of being on the waiting list, the odds of getting a transplant are lower among those from poorer backgrounds and children of black or Asian ethnicity, according to the study, which has been presented to the ESOT (European Society for Organ Transplantation) Congress 2025. Dr James added: 'It is notable – and particularly disquieting – that such disparities are evident even in a paediatric population within a universal healthcare system like the NHS. 'The persistent disadvantage faced by children from black ethnic backgrounds even after wait-listing is especially striking, suggesting systemic or cultural barriers that extend beyond access alone.' On gender inequalities seen in the study, she added: 'The gender disparity in wait-listing, with girls being less likely to be wait-listed, may reflect implicit gender biases in clinical decision-making, differences in parental advocacy, or variation in disease presentation and severity between sexes. 'There may also be social factors influencing clinicians' assumptions about transplant suitability or family engagement in the transplantation process. 'While evidence is limited in paediatric populations, adult studies suggest that women are often perceived as less suitable candidates due to comorbidities or psychosocial factors— perceptions that may inadvertently extend to female children.' Fiona Loud, policy director at Kidney Care UK, said: 'This research is shocking and it's not good enough to see such heartbreaking inequalities so early in life. 'There are around 1,000 children receiving kidney replacement therapy via either dialysis or transplant in the UK. 'This is a relatively small number which should mean we have a real opportunity to change this and make sure we improve things for the future for children and young people. 'But right now it is very hard for families whose children have kidney failure. 'More work needs to be done to explore local barriers and raise awareness of the value and importance of living kidney donation through personalised and community education programmes.' Professor Derek Manas, medical director for organ and tissue donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, which is responsible for allocating organs to people on the list, said: 'These results will help hospital clinical teams across the UK to further understand and mitigate this issue. 'NHS Blood and Transplant does not decide which individual patients are added to the transplant waiting list, but we do manage how organs are allocated to patients and the research found that once patients are on the waiting list, they had equitable access to donations, irrespective of ethnicity or deprivation. 'The transplant community has come a long way in ensuring equity once listed but this study confirms we all have more to do. 'Kidneys also need to be matched and people from the same ethnicity are more likely to be a match. 'There are currently not enough donors from black and Asian backgrounds and we urge people to show their support for donation on the NHS Organ Donor Register and to tell their families they want to donate.' An NHS England spokesperson said: 'The decision to place somebody on the transplant list should never be affected by their gender, ethnicity or family income and this analysis is a stark reminder that, whilst we have made progress on tackling health inequalities, much remains to be done – and this will be at the heart of the 10 Year Health Plan. 'More widely, we know kidney failure disproportionately impacts people from Black African and Black Caribbean heritage so we would always encourage more donors from these backgrounds to come forward, and we have recently launched a new simple genetic blood test for these groups to help reduce the risk of kidney failure.'
Leader Live
4 hours ago
- Leader Live
Girls and black children face inequalities in transplant treatment, study shows
Academics found that some children in need of a kidney transplant are facing inequalities in their care. Black children are less likely to be put on the transplant waiting list, as are those from more deprived backgrounds, researchers from the University of Bristol found. There are currently 137 children aged 17 and under on the kidney transplant waiting list in the UK. Researchers set out to examine whether inequalities exist in access to kidney transplantation among children in the UK by analysing the UK Renal Registry and NHS Blood and Transplant data between 1996 and 2020. They found that girls were 12% less likely to be put on a transplant waiting list compared to boys. Children from the poorest backgrounds were 33% less likely to be put on the waiting list compared to those from the wealthiest. And black children were 19% less likely to be put on the waiting list compared to their white peers. Once children are on the waiting list, the disparities related to gender and income appeared to reduce, but disadvantages for black children persisted. 'We were particularly struck by how early these disparities appear in the transplant process,' said Dr Alice James, lead author of the study. 'It's not just about who gets a transplant, but who even gets considered in the first place. 'Those from black ethnic backgrounds face systemic disadvantages even after being placed on the waitlist, including fewer living donor opportunities.' When looking at kidney transplants given by a living donor within two years of being on the waiting list, the odds of getting a transplant are lower among those from poorer backgrounds and children of black or Asian ethnicity, according to the study, which has been presented to the ESOT (European Society for Organ Transplantation) Congress 2025. Dr James added: 'It is notable – and particularly disquieting – that such disparities are evident even in a paediatric population within a universal healthcare system like the NHS. 'The persistent disadvantage faced by children from black ethnic backgrounds even after wait-listing is especially striking, suggesting systemic or cultural barriers that extend beyond access alone.' On gender inequalities seen in the study, she added: 'The gender disparity in wait-listing, with girls being less likely to be wait-listed, may reflect implicit gender biases in clinical decision-making, differences in parental advocacy, or variation in disease presentation and severity between sexes. 'There may also be social factors influencing clinicians' assumptions about transplant suitability or family engagement in the transplantation process. 'While evidence is limited in paediatric populations, adult studies suggest that women are often perceived as less suitable candidates due to comorbidities or psychosocial factors— perceptions that may inadvertently extend to female children.' Fiona Loud, policy director at Kidney Care UK, said: 'This research is shocking and it's not good enough to see such heartbreaking inequalities so early in life. 'There are around 1,000 children receiving kidney replacement therapy via either dialysis or transplant in the UK. 'This is a relatively small number which should mean we have a real opportunity to change this and make sure we improve things for the future for children and young people. 'But right now it is very hard for families whose children have kidney failure. 'More work needs to be done to explore local barriers and raise awareness of the value and importance of living kidney donation through personalised and community education programmes.' Professor Derek Manas, medical director for organ and tissue donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, which is responsible for allocating organs to people on the list, said: 'These results will help hospital clinical teams across the UK to further understand and mitigate this issue. 'NHS Blood and Transplant does not decide which individual patients are added to the transplant waiting list, but we do manage how organs are allocated to patients and the research found that once patients are on the waiting list, they had equitable access to donations, irrespective of ethnicity or deprivation. 'The transplant community has come a long way in ensuring equity once listed but this study confirms we all have more to do. 'Kidneys also need to be matched and people from the same ethnicity are more likely to be a match. 'There are currently not enough donors from black and Asian backgrounds and we urge people to show their support for donation on the NHS Organ Donor Register and to tell their families they want to donate.' An NHS England spokesperson said: 'The decision to place somebody on the transplant list should never be affected by their gender, ethnicity or family income and this analysis is a stark reminder that, whilst we have made progress on tackling health inequalities, much remains to be done – and this will be at the heart of the 10 Year Health Plan. 'More widely, we know kidney failure disproportionately impacts people from Black African and Black Caribbean heritage so we would always encourage more donors from these backgrounds to come forward, and we have recently launched a new simple genetic blood test for these groups to help reduce the risk of kidney failure.'
Rhyl Journal
4 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Girls and black children face inequalities in transplant treatment, study shows
Academics found that some children in need of a kidney transplant are facing inequalities in their care. Black children are less likely to be put on the transplant waiting list, as are those from more deprived backgrounds, researchers from the University of Bristol found. There are currently 137 children aged 17 and under on the kidney transplant waiting list in the UK. Researchers set out to examine whether inequalities exist in access to kidney transplantation among children in the UK by analysing the UK Renal Registry and NHS Blood and Transplant data between 1996 and 2020. They found that girls were 12% less likely to be put on a transplant waiting list compared to boys. Children from the poorest backgrounds were 33% less likely to be put on the waiting list compared to those from the wealthiest. And black children were 19% less likely to be put on the waiting list compared to their white peers. Once children are on the waiting list, the disparities related to gender and income appeared to reduce, but disadvantages for black children persisted. 'We were particularly struck by how early these disparities appear in the transplant process,' said Dr Alice James, lead author of the study. 'It's not just about who gets a transplant, but who even gets considered in the first place. 'Those from black ethnic backgrounds face systemic disadvantages even after being placed on the waitlist, including fewer living donor opportunities.' When looking at kidney transplants given by a living donor within two years of being on the waiting list, the odds of getting a transplant are lower among those from poorer backgrounds and children of black or Asian ethnicity, according to the study, which has been presented to the ESOT (European Society for Organ Transplantation) Congress 2025. Dr James added: 'It is notable – and particularly disquieting – that such disparities are evident even in a paediatric population within a universal healthcare system like the NHS. 'The persistent disadvantage faced by children from black ethnic backgrounds even after wait-listing is especially striking, suggesting systemic or cultural barriers that extend beyond access alone.' On gender inequalities seen in the study, she added: 'The gender disparity in wait-listing, with girls being less likely to be wait-listed, may reflect implicit gender biases in clinical decision-making, differences in parental advocacy, or variation in disease presentation and severity between sexes. 'There may also be social factors influencing clinicians' assumptions about transplant suitability or family engagement in the transplantation process. 'While evidence is limited in paediatric populations, adult studies suggest that women are often perceived as less suitable candidates due to comorbidities or psychosocial factors— perceptions that may inadvertently extend to female children.' Fiona Loud, policy director at Kidney Care UK, said: 'This research is shocking and it's not good enough to see such heartbreaking inequalities so early in life. 'There are around 1,000 children receiving kidney replacement therapy via either dialysis or transplant in the UK. 'This is a relatively small number which should mean we have a real opportunity to change this and make sure we improve things for the future for children and young people. 'But right now it is very hard for families whose children have kidney failure. 'More work needs to be done to explore local barriers and raise awareness of the value and importance of living kidney donation through personalised and community education programmes.' Professor Derek Manas, medical director for organ and tissue donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, which is responsible for allocating organs to people on the list, said: 'These results will help hospital clinical teams across the UK to further understand and mitigate this issue. 'NHS Blood and Transplant does not decide which individual patients are added to the transplant waiting list, but we do manage how organs are allocated to patients and the research found that once patients are on the waiting list, they had equitable access to donations, irrespective of ethnicity or deprivation. 'The transplant community has come a long way in ensuring equity once listed but this study confirms we all have more to do. 'Kidneys also need to be matched and people from the same ethnicity are more likely to be a match. 'There are currently not enough donors from black and Asian backgrounds and we urge people to show their support for donation on the NHS Organ Donor Register and to tell their families they want to donate.' An NHS England spokesperson said: 'The decision to place somebody on the transplant list should never be affected by their gender, ethnicity or family income and this analysis is a stark reminder that, whilst we have made progress on tackling health inequalities, much remains to be done – and this will be at the heart of the 10 Year Health Plan. 'More widely, we know kidney failure disproportionately impacts people from Black African and Black Caribbean heritage so we would always encourage more donors from these backgrounds to come forward, and we have recently launched a new simple genetic blood test for these groups to help reduce the risk of kidney failure.'
