Multiple decades have passed since Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon. Still, there is so much we have yet to discover about it. That’s why both the United States and China are both interested in exploring the area we know the least about: the moon’s far side. Not only is this area more challenging to reach, the surface here is also more treacherous — there are lots of giant craters and very few flat surfaces. That’s what makes China’s accomplishment with their lunar probe all-the-more impressive.
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China became the first country to land on the far side of the moon in 2019. Now, they’re making history again after their space probe, Chang’e-6, successfully returned to Earth today with samples. These samples are the first to be collected from the far side of the moon! There’s so much we could potentially learn from these samples, as explained in the video below.
From telling us about the formation of planets and the moon to the potential of finding traces of ice, this truly is a massive step forward in space exploration. Plus, it’s something to be excited about, no matter what country you’re from!
China Makes Space Exploration History With Lunar Probe
“It’s incredibly exciting to see this landing successfully,” Catherine Heymans, an astronomer royal for Scotland says. “The geological activity on the Moon is very different on the near side and the far side and it’s been a big puzzle why we see those differences.”
As plans to further explore the moon take shape, we can expect to hear more exciting news like this in the upcoming years. China aims to send crew up their by 2030. Plus, they want to eventually build a base at the south pole. Meanwhile, the United States is set to send astronauts back to the moon by 2026. How exciting!
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