China launches probe to explore moon’s far side

A Chinese lunar mission has launched on May 3, and it is scheduled to land on the moon's far side and return with samples that may reveal differences in geology and other aspects between the less visited area and the moon's more well-known near side.

An increasingly ambitious and sophisticated space exploration programme that is currently in competition with the United States would benefit from this historic trip. As of 2019, China is the only nation to have successfully set foot on the moon's far side with a rover.

In an excellent state for radio astronomy and other scientific endeavours, the rather mysterious far side of the moon is shielded from Earth and other disturbances. To keep up communications, a relay satellite is required because the far side is never facing Earth.

Photo credit: Reuters

In honour of the Chinese moon goddess, the Chang'e lunar exploration probe bears her name.

According to the China National Space Administration, the probe will be launched on a Long March-5 YB rocket from the Wenchang launch centre in the southern tropical island province of Hainan.

2020 saw China return samples from the near side of the moon, the first time since the U.S. Apollo programme ended in the 1970s. The materials' analysis revealed that water was present in microscopic beads embedded in lunar soil.