China unveils new lunar vehicle to reach far side of moon | moon
- by Amanda Heroux
- in Science
- — Aoû 17, 2018
China has unveiled an exploration vehicle which is expected to land on the far side of the moon by this year end, a state-run media reported.
Images displayed at Wednesday's press conference showed the rover was a rectangular box with two foldable solar panels and six wheels. The descent module of the vehicle "Chang'e-4" must make a soft landing in the area of the basin South pole - Aitken on the far side of the moon. It is 1.5 meters long, 1 meter wide and 1.1 meters high.
The Chinese rover is similar to Yutu which is the country's first lunar rover launched in 2013 along with Chang'e 3.
Pioneering space programmes earlier had photographed the far side of the Moon over half a century ago but could never manage to land there.
It will also endure vacuum, intense radiation and extremes of temperature. The moon has a large temperature difference between day and night, which can reach more than 300 degrees Celsius.
Wu said the new rover will carry equipment jointly developed by China and Sweden, as well as a domestically-made radar, cameras and scientific gear.
The Committee of defense science, technology and industry of China announced that everyone can take part in the competition for the best name for the new Chinese lunar Rover.
Participants can submit their proposed names for the rover through the internet from August 15 to September 5, and the official name will be announced in October after several selection rounds. The victor will receive $435 and tickets to watch the launch live.
According to Air and Space magazine, Chang'e-4 is being done so as study moon's most ancient rocks - which could help scientists understand the moon's extremely violent history. Along with these lunar rovers and its own (somewhat ill-fated) space station launches, China has kicked around the idea of sending manned missions to the Moon as well as exploration efforts on Mars and beyond.
Yutu's successor is now nameless, with a global competition underway to choose a moniker.
