Fifty years ago this week, Neil Armstrong became the first person ever to set foot on the moon. Since then, no country besides the US has successfully replicated the same achievement. Now China is looking to change that.
In Chinese mythology, Chang’e is a former mortal who flew up to the moon after drinking an elixir. The story embodies the ambition of China’s Lunar Exploration Program, which is also referred to by the name of the Chinese moon goddess. Its first mission kicked off in 2003, and the ultimate goal is to put a Chinese astronaut on the moon.
For decades, China has been regarded as a loser in the global space race, playing catch-up to superpowers like the US and Russia. The technology gap, it seems, is swiftly narrowing.
In January this year, China achieved what no other country has done before: Putting a probe on the far side of the moon. That lunar region faces away from Earth, making it difficult to establish communication with ground control to ensure a safe landing. That’s why all previous landings took place on the moon’s Earth-facing hemisphere.
The Chang’e 4 probe is tasked with exploring the far side of the moon. (Picture: China National Space Administration/Xinhua News Agency)
A moon landing in 2019, even on the far side of the moon, might not sound like a remarkable achievement. But the vigorous interest in the Earth’s celestial companion isn’t exclusive to China. In the US, the Trump administration is pushing to return Americans to the moon by 2024, four years ahead of NASA’s original schedule.
“Make no mistake about it: We’re in a space race today,” said Vice-President Mike Pence in March. China’s landing on the far side of the moon, he said, “revealed their ambition to seize the lunar strategic high ground and become the world’s preeminent spacefaring nation.”
