In discussing the topic of space exploration, China confirms the country’s plans to send a rover to the unexplored side of the Moon, that is, the dark side in 2018 and to place a rover on Mars in 2020.
The official document, released by the Information Department of the State Council, states that the mission is called Chang’e 4.
In 2012, NASA’s Grail probes fell on the far side of the moon – the so-called “dark side” that has never been visible from Earth. However, no spacecraft has landed on this normally hidden half of the moon. Communication with such a spacecraft would require the use of a satellite, like the one China plans to send to the gravitational balance point.
Chang’e is the name of the Chinese moon goddess, and the name has been used for China’s three previous lunar missions as well. The most recent mission in the series, Chang’e 3, sent a lander and the Yutu rover to one side of the moon in 2013.
Another robotic spacecraft, Chang’e 5, is being prepared to make a lunar landing and collect samples to send back to Earth. Chang’e 5 is set to launch by the end of 2017.
The goal of the Chang’e program is to study the geology of the moon, search for resources that the moon could offer for deeper exploration – and not incidentally, to demonstrate China’s technological prowess.
In the next five years, China plans to advance in developing new lines of launch vehicles.
“The document presents our vision of China as a space power, investigating, innovating, discovering, and training specialized personnel,” said Wu Yanhua, deputy chief of the China National Space Administration, during a press conference.
In addition to heavy rockets, China will seek to build non-polluting medium-lift rockets and a reusable transportation system to reach low Earth orbit.
Chinese space officials previously stated that a complete space station known as Tiangong 3 would be placed in orbit by 2020, and that Beijing’s space program could put astronauts on the Moon by 2030. However, in a UPI report, Wu stated that the program will require private investment.
“After six decades of development, government investment is not enough to allow China’s aerospace program to advance in technological progress and benefit the economy and society,” Wu said.
Source: www.geekwire.com