China\u2019s Chang\u2019e-4 lunar probe is headed to the far side of the moon, an area that\u2019s unknown and could offer more information on space climate conditions. On Saturday, the Chang\u2019e-4 lunar probe took\u2026<\/b>
\nChina\u2019s Chang\u2019e-4 lunar probe is headed to the far side of the moon, an area that\u2019s unknown and could offer more information on space climate conditions.
On Saturday, the Chang\u2019e-4 lunar probe took off from the Sichuan-based Xichang Satellite Launch Center early in the morning, reported China\u2019s state-run Xinhua news agency. Chang\u2019e-4 is anticipated to make the first-ever soft landing on the far side of the moon, which could be a major milestone in lunar exploration.
#BREAKING: China launches Chang\u2019e-4 lunar probe in the early hours of Saturday. It\u2019s expected to make first-ever soft landing on far side of the moon pic.twitter.com\/r0Fwq2RM4U
\u2014 China Xinhua News (@XHNews) December 7,2018
With Chang\u2019e-4, China aims to learn more about the far side of the moon, including its terrain and lunar soil components. Because the same side of the moon always faces Earth, the other side of the moon, which is dubbed the far side, can\u2019t be seen from our planet and still remains a mystery to mankind.
\u201cThe soft landing and exploration of the far side, which has never been done before, will gain first-hand information about the terrain and lunar soil components and other scientific data, which will help enrich our understanding of the moon and the universe,\u201d Zhang He, executive director of the Chang\u2019e-4 probe project, told Xinhua news agency.
The far side of the moon. (Photo Credit: Apollo 16 Crew\/NASA)
Once Chang\u2019e-4 reaches the far side of the moon, it will conduct some scientific tasks, including engaging in low-frequency radio astronomical observation, conducting surveys of landforms and terrain, detecting mineral composition and surface structure, and measuring neutron radiation, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA) .
Scientists aim to land Chang\u2019e-4 in a place that has many geological features, so they can receive more information about the far side of the moon\u2019s atmosphere. However, engineers are concerned over how the probe will land on the surface, and they\u2019re searching for flatter areas to make the landing a more seamless process.
After much debate, scientists decided that the Von K\u00e1rm\u00e1n Crater, which is located in the Aitken Basin, will be Chang\u2019e-4\u2019s landing site. Due to some challenges though, China launched a relay satellite, \u201cQueqiao\u201d, on May 21,2018 to establish a communication link between Earth and the far side of the moon. Queqiao will help Chang\u2019e-4 safely land on the site via signal transmission.
There isn\u2019t an official date for the landing, however China\u2019s Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. told CNN that it\u2019s expected to reach the far side of the moon after 26 days of flight, which could be sometime in early January. Until then, the world will have to wait to learn more about this mysterious region of the moon.
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