Chang'e 4 landing: China probe makes historic touchdown on far side of the moon

[gary]

An article in the Guardian reports that, according to state-run media,
a Chinese probe has just become the first spacecraft to land on the
far side of the Moon.

Story :-
https://www.theguardian.com/science/...n-basin-crater

The spacecraft has sent back this image :-
https://twitter.com/CGTNOfficial/sta...89112598773762

[multiweb (Marc)]

How cool is that first photo!

[iborg (Philip)]

Thank you for not saying dark side!!


Philip

[E23 (Andras)]

Here we go again. The Chinese have taken over from the Russians of the space race era who did things in space just so they can say it's a first. It is no more difficult to land on the far side then on the near side but it's a first. A real first would be if they landed on Mars and return samples. The lander would have to be at least 5 tons to do that. Now, that will be a first!


Andras

[Zuts]

Originally Posted by E23

Here we go again. The Chinese have taken over from the Russians of the space race era who did things in space just so they can say it's a first. It is no more difficult to land on the far side then on the near side but it's a first. A real first would be if they landed on Mars and return samples. The lander would have to be at least 5 tons to do that. Now, that will be a first!


Andras

It may be no more difficult but it certainly can't be easy as only three countries have done it (landed on the moon); and you have to start somewhere. At this rate of progress they will have a moon base in 10 years. That would definitely be a first!

[LewisM]

Originally Posted by E23

Here we go again. The Chinese have taken over from the Russians of the space race era who did things in space just so they can say it's a first. It is no more difficult to land on the far side then on the near side but it's a first. A real first would be if they landed on Mars and return samples. The lander would have to be at least 5 tons to do that. Now, that will be a first!


Andras

It actually IS quite a bit harder to land on the far side then the near side, but we won't let technical and scientific difficulties and technicalities get in the way of a good poppy-cut

You might want to research what had to be done to get it there, communicate with it and so on first.

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by E23

Here we go again. The Chinese have taken over from the Russians of the space race era who did things in space just so they can say it's a first. It is no more difficult to land on the far side then on the near side but it's a first. A real first would be if they landed on Mars and return samples. The lander would have to be at least 5 tons to do that. Now, that will be a first!


Andras

The event is a first.

Certainly more sugnificant than a first tooth or first kiss.

Why this "first" ticks you off is odd ...maybe something else is worrying you?

I hope you can find some joy and be happy.

Alex

[LewisM]

Originally Posted by xelasnave

The event is a first.

Certainly more sugnificant than a first tooth or first kiss.

Why this "first" ticks you off is odd ...maybe something else is worrying you?

I hope you can find some joy and be happy.

Alex

Exactly Alex, but it's not just a "first bragging rights". It is the first probe/explorer to land on the far side - no nation had yet achieved this, and it will broaden human knowledge and understanding of the Moon significantly.

And to try to sum up Russian exploration and "firsts" as bragging/"firsts" dibs is bordering on the absurd.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by LewisM

Exactly Alex, but it's not just a "first bragging rights". It is the first probe/explorer to land on the far side - no nation had yet achieved this, and it will broaden human knowledge and understanding of the Moon significantly.

And to try to sum up Russian exploration and "firsts" as bragging/"firsts" dibs is bordering on the absurd.

True. They still managed to land on Venus and broadcast for like 30s and in color back in the days.

[LewisM]

Originally Posted by multiweb

True. They still managed to land on Venus and broadcast for like 30s and in color back in the days.

Not to mention Luna 10:

"Luna 10 conducted extensive research in lunar orbit, gathering important data on the strength of the Moon’s magnetic field, its radiation belts, and the nature of lunar rocks (which were found to be comparable to terrestrial basalt rocks), cosmic radiation, and micrometeoroid density. Perhaps its most important finding was the first evidence of mass concentrations (called “mascons”)—areas of high density below the mare basins that distort lunar orbital trajectories. Their discovery has usually been credited to the American Lunar Orbiter series."

Lunakhod 1 and other probes/missions also spring to mind.

[Tropo-Bob (Bob)]

Some recent pictures:-

https://ufotoday.com/science/cnsa/ch...moon-s-surface

[AussieTrooper (Ben)]

I'm keen to see what all the conspiracy nuts come up with when China eventually puts humans on the moon.