Chinese Spacecraft Lands on Moon’s Far Side Intensifying Space Rivalry with the U.S.

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In a significant advancement in space exploration, a Chinese spacecraft successfully landed on the moon’s far side early Sunday to collect soil and rock samples, aiming to uncover the differences between this less-explored region and the well-known near side. The landing, at 6:23 a.m. Beijing time, occurred in the South Pole-Aitken Basin, one of the largest and oldest craters on the moon, as confirmed by the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

 

This mission, the sixth under the Chang’e moon exploration program named after the Chinese moon goddess, is the second designed to bring back samples. The previous mission, Chang’e 5, successfully returned samples from the near side of the moon in 2020.

 

The current endeavor is part of an escalating space race between China and the United States, the latter being the longstanding leader in space exploration. Other countries, including Japan and India, are also participating in this growing competition. China has established a notable presence in space with its own space station in orbit and frequent crewed missions.

 

China's ambitious space agenda includes landing a human on the moon before 2030, potentially making it the second nation, after the United States, to achieve this milestone. Meanwhile, the United States plans to send astronauts back to the moon by 2026, marking the first human moon landing in more than 50 years. However, the U.S. efforts have faced numerous setbacks, particularly in the private sector. The planned launch of Boeing’s first astronaut flight was scrapped due to last-minute computer issues, and a Japanese billionaire postponed his lunar orbit mission amid uncertainties surrounding SpaceX’s mega rocket development. NASA intends to utilize this rocket for its lunar missions.

 

 

In its current mission, the Chinese lander is equipped with a mechanical arm and a drill to collect up to 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of surface and subsurface material over approximately two days. The samples will be stored in a metal vacuum container by an ascender atop the lander, which will then transfer the container to an orbiting module. This module will facilitate the return of the samples to Earth, with the re-entry capsule expected to land in the deserts of China’s Inner Mongolia region around June 25.

 

Explorations of the moon's far side are particularly challenging due to its position facing away from Earth, necessitating a relay satellite to maintain communication. Additionally, the far side's rugged terrain offers fewer suitable landing sites. This mission, thus, marks a remarkable achievement in navigating these difficulties and advancing lunar exploration.

 

China’s ambitious space program and its successful missions are reshaping the dynamics of global space exploration. As the country continues to push its boundaries in space, the international community watches closely, recognizing that the future of space exploration is increasingly competitive and collaborative.

 

Credit: AP News 2024-06-03

 

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[ignore it]

The Dark Side Of The Moon, Pink Floyd's 1973 album, has been voted the Greatest Album Of All Time by Classic Rock readers.

[PETERTHEEATER]

I cannot confirm this. I used my telescope last night but could only see the light side of the moon. 😀 But, if the Chinese say they have landed an EV out of sight we are expected to believe them. How do they communicate with it?

[kokopelli]

24 minutes ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

I cannot confirm this. I used my telescope last night but could only see the light side of the moon. 😀 But, if the Chinese say they have landed an EV out of sight we are expected to believe them. How do they communicate with it?

The Chinese have a satellite orbiting the moon which relays information from the lander to the satellite and then onto the Earth.

[digger70]

1 hour ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

I cannot confirm this. I used my telescope last night but could only see the light side of the moon. 😀 But, if the Chinese say they have landed an EV out of sight we are expected to believe them. How do they communicate with it?

Maybe just a hoax same as Many people say about the US landing on the Moon.

They say Believe it or Not.

Its questionable.

[Gweiloman]

2 hours ago, digger70 said:

Maybe just a hoax same as Many people say about the US landing on the Moon.

They say Believe it or Not.

Its questionable.

This statement is particularly interesting 

 

Meanwhile, the United States plans to send astronauts back to the moon by 2026, marking the first human moon landing in more than 50 years. However, the U.S. efforts have faced numerous setbacks, particularly in the private sector. The planned launch of Boeing’s first astronaut flight was scrapped due to last-minute computer issues,

 

Did they have better technology and know how 50 years ago? Or, like some believe, that it was a hoax?

[wombat]

in the game of GO thats being played globally a base on the dark side of the moon means the Chinese win

[PETERTHEEATER]

4 hours ago, kokopelli said:

The Chinese have a satellite orbiting the moon which relays information from the lander to the satellite and then onto the Earth.

Thanks.

[WDSmart]

I am against any space exploration like this. We need to learn to live both socially and environmentally compatibly on this planet before we even attempt to go anywhere else.