China’s Chang’e-4 lunar rover is due to touchdown on the far side of the moon around New Year, 2019 at the Von Kármán crater in Aitken Basin –the craggy and complex terrain of the lunar south pole region. The planet’s new space superpower will plant its flag. Will it also claim ownership?
Probing the lunar far side ‘radio environment’ to creating a mini biosphere: China launched the Chang’e-4 lunar probe rover early Saturday on a Long March 3B rocket from the southwestern Xichang Space Center at 2:23 am (1823 GMT) Saturday, according to the official Xinhua news agency. Destined to touchdown around the New Year on the far side of the moon at the Von Kármán crater in Aitken Basin in the craggy and complex terrain of the lunar south pole region, the mission is global first that would boost Beijing’s ambitions to become a space superpower.
