China's space agency has announced plans to land two robot craft on the far side of the moon. The Chang'e-4 mission is planned to take place in December, with a lander craft and rover being deployed to examine the moon's ancient rocks and bring samples back to Earth. It will also carry out experiments using low-frequency radiowaves, and carry a miniature ecosystem consisting of silkworm eggs, potato and mustard seeds, fitted into a seven-inch container. China hopes that this new technology could help it develop its own manned lunar exploration program.
China's space agency has announced plans to land two robot craft on the far side of the moon. The Chang'e-4 mission is planned to take place in December, with a lander craft and rover being deployed to examine the moon's ancient rocks and bring samples back to Earth. It will also carry out experiments using low-frequency radiowaves, and carry a miniature ecosystem consisting of silkworm eggs, potato and mustard seeds, fitted into a seven-inch container. The mission is made possible by China's Queqiao satellite, which overlooks the far side of the moon while retaining a line of sight to Earth.