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China looking to stake claim to territory on Moon

JacksinPA

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https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46471668

Chang'e-4: China mission launches to far side of Moon

China has launched the first mission to land a robotic craft on the far side of the Moon, Chinese media say.

The Chang'e-4 mission will see a static lander and rover touch down in Von Kármán crater, located on the side of the Moon which never faces Earth.
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The probe will land in January.

China has an ambitious Lunar exploration program. They had earlier launched a radio relay satellite to enable communications between Earth & the probe:
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-44198673

The probe has an array of sensors & 2 biological experiments. Future probes in their Lunar program will return Moon soil samples to Earth.
 

Could you link to a source about China intending to claim territory on the moon? I couldn't find that in the BBC reports.
 
Grand Mal said:
Could you link to a source about China intending to claim territory on the moon? I couldn't find that in the BBC reports.
Click to expand...

Here you go: https://qz.com/1262581/china-lays-out-its-ambitions-to-colonize-the-moon-and-build-a-lunar-palace/

China lays out its ambitions to colonize the moon and build a “lunar palace”

In one of China’s most famous folktales, a woman named Chang’e flew to the moon after consuming an elixir of immortality, choosing to live in a lunar palace so she could remain close to her husband on earth.

Inspired by the thousand-year-old fairy tale, China has ambitions to build a real-life lunar palace on the moon, according to its space agency. The China National Space Administration released a video (link in Chinese) on April 24, the country’s third space day, laying out its plans to build a scientific outpost on the moon.

“China’s dream of residing in a lunar palace will soon become a reality,” said the video, which recapped the country’s achievements and plans in space.

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This comes up on the first page of results if you use The Google to search 'China Moon ambitions.' I think you can agree that if they build their outpost & colonize the Moon they will claim the territory around it.

A Lunar base would have military implications as well. And it would be a better start for Mars exploration than the Earth.

By using the far side of the Moon, they plan to build radio telescopes that would not be subject to interference from Earth.
 
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Red:
Landing craft on the far side of the Moon is a good idea if:
  • One is "up to no good" and wants to do "stuff" in as non-readily-visible a place as possible.
  • One wants to claim one's landed on the Moon and doesn't want to be forced to prove it...."The light bulb broke, and it's dark, so we can't show you anything, but trust us, we have a craft there."
LOL
 

It's an interesting idea, and doesn't sound like any kind of threat to me. Sounds to me like the orbiting space station taken to the next level.
Also sounds like a big waste of money but it might be valuable experience for something more actually useful like Mars.
 

China is very ambitious. I expect them to take the lead in getting to Mars. Should be valuable minerals there.

The Moon & Mars will be the south China Sea expansion but in space.
 
JacksinPA said:
China is very ambitious. I expect them to take the lead in getting to Mars. Should be valuable minerals there.

The Moon & Mars will be the south China Sea expansion but in space.
Click to expand...

The USA went from seeing Sputnik go up to landing men on the moon in 12 years, largely motivated by competition from the Soviet Union. Now, are we going to step up and compete with China? That could bring about some real advances in space exploration.
 

I'm afraid that would require vision & leadership & we don't have any of those qualities at the moment.
 
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And you can do “cleaner” radio astronomy. BTW, the backside of the moon gets sun. We only see the one side due to “tidal lock”.
 
chuckiechan said:
And you can do “cleaner” radio astronomy. BTW, the backside of the moon gets sun. We only see the one side due to “tidal lock”.
Click to expand...
Okay...My bad. I was thinking, stupidly, but thinking so nonetheless, that the dark side of the Moon is always dark. TY for the correction.
 
I wonder how long before the Martian–Lunar Revolutionary Wars kick off? XD
 
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