What is the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program and when did it start?
The Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, also called the Chang'e Project, is an ongoing series of robotic Moon missions run by the China National Space Administration. It began in 2004 and is named after Chang'e, the Chinese Moon goddess.
What was historic about the Chang'e 4 lunar landing in 2019?
Chang'e 4 achieved the first ever soft landing on the far side of the Moon on the 3rd of January 2019, touching down in the Von Karman crater within the South Pole-Aitken Basin. Its Yutu-2 rover went on to become the longest-lived lunar rover.
How much lunar material did Chang'e 5 return to Earth?
Chang'e 5 returned 1,731 grams of lunar samples to Earth in December 2020. It was the first robotic lunar sample return since the Soviet Luna 24 mission in 1976, and it conducted the first robotic docking in lunar orbit.
What did Chang'e 6 accomplish on the far side of the Moon?
Chang'e 6, launched on the 3rd of May 2024, retrieved samples from Apollo Basin on the far side of the Moon, the first time far-side lunar material had ever been collected. It also carried a rover named Jinchan that performed infrared spectroscopy on the surface.
When does China plan a crewed lunar landing?
China plans to land two astronauts on the Moon in 2029 or 2030. The mission will use the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft and the Lanyue crewed lander, launched separately on two Long March 10 rockets and docking in lunar orbit.
What is the International Lunar Research Station and who is involved?
The International Lunar Research Station is a planned Moon base at the lunar south pole, with construction targeted from 2031. China is leading the project alongside Russia and eleven other countries, including South Africa, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Venezuela, Pakistan, and Egypt.