China begins exploration on the moon’s far side

The Yutu-2, China’s lunar rover. Credit : CNSA, Xinhua News Agency

This Friday, for the first time in human history the terrain of the far side of the moon has been explored, a Chines rover named Yutu-2 descended off the ramp from the Chinese Chang'e 4 lander which soft landed on the moon’s far side.

The Chinese agency CNSA has provided images of the rover showing tracks left by the rover as it headed away from the spacecraft. Wu Weiren, chief designer of the Lunar Exploration Project, told state broadcaster CCTV, “It’s a small step for the rover, but one giant leap for the Chinese nation,” a phrase that echoes the words of U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong when he was the first human to touch another world, back in 1969. Those landings occurred on the near side of the moon, facing Earth, which occurred from 1969 to 1972.

The Yutu-2, China’s lunar rover, leaves wheel marks after leaving the lander Chang’e 4 that touched down on the surface of the far side of the moon. Credit: China National Space Administration/Xinhua News Agency 

He Qisong, a space expert at the East China University of Science and Law in Shanghai, said that “the landing on the far side shows China’s technology is powerful.” This rover has 6 powered wheels which allows it to operate even if one wheel fails, having a maximum speed of 200 meters per hour an capable of climbing a 20º inclinations and obtacles of up to 20 centimetres.

A close-up of one of Yutu 2's wheels. Credit: CNSA

Source: CNSA, Xinhua News Agency