China has announced (already in 2000 if i'm correct) that it heads for a manned mission to the moun. So far two succesfull spaceflights (Shenzou 5 and Shenzou 6) have been performed. Japan also has this intension, although they did not as of yet succesfully conduct a manned space flight. The USA has also claimed they want to return to the moon. However, the space shuttle program seems to be seriously in trouble (intended launch of the space shuttle at 1-st of july has been procrasted again, and some claim that the space shuttle program has come to an end).

The purpose of Chinese moon plans are exploiting the moons minerals.

But perhaps a serious conduction of moon travel for exploiting the minerals on the moon would need a different approach, and would need an involvement of several countries.

A moon mission - building a permanent moon base and regular landings - would be possible and be cheaper, if a three stage approach would be installed, and if carried out as an international long term project, involving USA, China, Russia, Europa, Japan and perhaps others (India? Brasil?).

1st stage: Using a reusable launch vehicle (possible horizontal take off winged carier) launch cargo/components and passenger modules into a low earth orbit. The launch and return vehicle docks at a low orbit earth station.

2st stage: A cargo/component and passenger carrier for the trafic between low earth orbit to a moon orbit. The carrier docks at a moon orbit station.

3rd stage: A moonlander that undocks from the moon orbit station and lands on the moon, and returns from the moon to the station.

For the 1st stage a cheap launch vehicle should be developed. Such a project needs international cooperation. Currently, NASA has a study/development program to develop a new launch system.
But conventional vehicles (such as Soyoez, Shengzhou, Progress and the space shuttle as long as it is in function) could be used as well, as long as they can dock at the low earth orbit station.

A long term project would be to develop a (two stage) horizontal take-off and landing launch vehicle as a winged transporter, carrying a return vessel (shuttle) that can dock at the low earth orbit station. Such a launch vessel could be much smaller then current launch vehicles, if a magnetic levitation glide way would be used that would accelerate the launcher to a speed of approx. 1000 km p/hour. This would reduce the costs for the launch,

[ However, a magnetic levitation horizontal take-off system would of course not be cheap, but due to reduces costs per launch would reduce costs in the long run, if many launches are performed ]

The docking station in low earth orbit is permanently manned and has regular visits of unmanned cargo vessels. Components/modules for the low moon orbit station are transported to a moon orbit using carrier vessels and are assmbled there to form a permant moon orbiting base.
Carrier vessels carry cargo/modules and passengers on regular basis from and to the moon orbit station, once installed.

The moon orbit station in normal operation has two moon landing units, a return vessel, a fuel tank and a cabine that can house 2-4 persons permanently.

A normal visit to the moon and back would look like this:

The shuttle is launched from the launch vessel. The launcher itself (the winged launcher) returns to earth and can be reused. The shuttle docks at the low earth orbit station and remains there for the trip back.
A passenger carrier vehicle then heads to the moon orbitting station where it docks. The moon mission is then carried out using the moon landing unit. After completion of the mission the return vehicle is launched and returns to the moon orbit station, where the trip to earth (using the same type of transport vehicles) can be undertaken.


The moon landing unit btw. is the only vehicle in the moon transport system that can not be reused for practical reasons, and every mission to the moon needs a new moon landing unit. When departing from the moon, like the lunar landing unit in the apollo program, the lower part would stay at the moon and functions as a launch platform. The moon return vehicle after completing it mission and having returned the passengers to the moon orbit station, is not reused and could perhaps best be crashed on the moon for seismic research.

Notes:
1) Although in theory, the cargo carrier could resupply the landing part of the landing unit, which is then reassembled as a complete landing unit for following landings on the moon. A moon landing unit that can return from the moon as a whole and would - after refueling and resupplying - be reusable find an obstacle in the soft surface of the moon, and would be too much of a risk for a safe return from the moon.

2) For building a permanent base - at least in the initial phase - a landing unit could be used, that could land on the moon automatically, and would stay on the moon permanently. This unit carries cargo, fuel and supplies (as for instance: instruments, a moon rover/vehicle, etc.) for the crew that land on the moon, and would land prior to the crew in the vincinity of the landing site for the mission.
Also this landing unit could offer an alternative escape from the moon, in case the manned landing unit would malfunction.
The dismerit would be however that per moon landing/mission two landing units would be needed.