China Lunar Exploration Program logo.
Jan. 3, 2019
Image above: An image of the Moon's far side taken by the Chang'e-4 probe. Photo: The first image of the Moon's far side, taken by China's Chang'e-4 probe. (AP: China National Space Administration/Xinhua News Agency).
A Chinese spacecraft has made the first landing on the far side of the Moon, sending back images of a crater in the latest achievement for the country's growing space program.
Chang’e-4 lands on the Moon and sends back first images
China’s Chang'e-4 lunar mission (lander and rover) landed in the Von Karman Crater, located in the Aitken Basin, in the South Pole region on the far side of the Moon, on 3 January 2019, at 02:26 UTC (10:26 Beijing time). The Chang’e-4 lunar mission was launched by a Long March-3B rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province, southwest China, on 7 December 2018, at 18:23 UTC (8 December at 02:23 local time). Video Credit: China Central Television (CCTV)/China National Space Administration (CNSA)/Music: Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven courtesy of YouTube Audio Library.
The Chang'e-4 probe successfully performed the first soft landing on the Moon's far side on Thursday, the Chinese National Space Agency said. One image, taken from the south side of the landing site, was relayed back via a relay satellite, according to state-owned television network CGTN.
Black and white images taken by the probe before and after its landing where also shared by Chinese news agencies. It is the first time a soft landing has been performed on the Moon's far side — also known as the dark side because it faces away from Earth and remains comparatively unknown — due to challenges relaying signals.
Chang'e 4 is a lander-rover combination and will explore both above and below the lunar surface.
Image above: An image taken by China's Chang'e-4 spacecraft after its landing on the far side of the moon. Photo Credits: (AP: China National Space Administration/Xinhua News Agency).
Some of the experiments aboard will investigate the Moon's potential to support future space travelers. One of those experiments is a biosphere project, which includes silkworm eggs, thale cress and potatoes seeds.
If it goes to plan, the ecosystem would be self-sustaining, with the silkworms germinating the potatoes and popping out caterpillars. These would in turn produce carbon dioxide, helping the plants grow as a food source.
Artist's view of Chang'e-4 landed on the dark side of the Moon. Image Credits: CASC/CNSA
Because the far side faces away from Earth, it is also shielded from radio transmissions — making it the perfect place from which to study the universe. The mission is part of China's ambitious push to explore the Moon's resources and potential as a space base.
China landed its Yutu, or 'Jade Rabbit' rover on the Moon five years ago and plans to have Chang'e 5 return to earth with samples — the first time that will have been done since 1976. A crewed lunar mission is also under consideration.
The Moon's not-so-dark side
While in popular culture the far side of the Moon is often called the "dark side", the far side is not dark in the sense that it does get exposed to sunlight.
It is known as the far side because only the near side of the Moon can be seen from Earth, as the Moon takes the same time to spin on its axis as it takes to complete one full orbit.
Chang'e 4 lander-rover relayed back via a relay satellite.Image Credits: CASC/CNSA
The far side has been mapped by several orbiting craft over the years.
The dominant feature is the 2,500km-wide South Pole-Aitken basin, the Moon's oldest and deepest crater. Scientists are particularly interested in the geology of the basin as it may help explain how the Moon formed.
Related articles:
Chang'e-4 Probe Enters Lunar Orbit
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2018/12/change-4-probe-enters-lunar-orbit.html
China launches lunar rover in historic mission to the dark side of the moon
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2018/12/china-launches-lunar-rover-in-historic.html
For more information about China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), visit: http://english.spacechina.com/n16421/index.html
For more information about China National Space Administration (CNSA), visit: http://www.cnsa.gov.cn/
Images (mentioned), Video (mentioned), Text, Credits: CASC/CNSA/AP/SciNews/Orbiter.ch Aerospace/Roland Berga.
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