China to land probe on dark side of moon in 2018

The Chang’e-3 was the first Chinese craft to land on the moon, setting down in December of 2013. Long March-6 is a new Chinese carrier rocket model, and will be used for the launch of micro-satellites, according to Xinhua News Agency.

China intends to send a lunar probe to the dark side of the moon in 2018, the country’s official media agency has revealed.

With regard to the United States and China working together in space, he says, “I understand that China is open to global cooperation, but current USA law prevents NASA from being involved”. This was the first soft landing on the moon since 1976, and now, program directors are making plans to send another rover called the Chang’e 4.

Chang’e-4 is being created to carry a larger payload than its predecessor.

The far side of the moon is never visible to Earth because of gravitational forces although earlier spacecrafts have seen the far side.

Ostensibly a test for technologies needed for the Chang’e-5 sample return mission in 2017, the secondary objectives of the CE5-T1 test mission gave the first hints that China was eyeing the far side of the Moon. It will be followed by Chang’e-5, which is now in the process of being developed.

China officials affirm that its space programs are created to further the exploration of space and technology, and are entirely peaceful in nature.

To date, no spacecraft has ever landed on the dark side of the moon.

This will facilitate communication and control of the Chang’e-4 mission on the far side, with the distance meaning a delay of around two seconds.

China’s lunar exploration plans are even more ambitious.

The country has even expressed interest in an eventual manned Moon mission.