The Moon’s south pole region is home to some of the most extreme environments in the solar system –NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has measured the coldest temperatures in the solar system inside the permanent darkness of lunar South Pole craters, which have become known as perfect environments for preserving material like water for eons. Or so we thought.
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?
