Chinese probe Chang'e 4 lands on the moon : What China and other space powers now projects

has Just started, 50 years after Neil Armstrong's first steps in the "sea of peace" with the landing of the "Chang'e-4" a new Chapter of lunar exploration. For the first time is a success on Thursday morning, a soft Touchdown on the far side of the moon. Minutes after landing, the probe sparked a connection to a satellite in the moon orbit, first pictures to the earth.

Why is the Chinese landing is a historic step?

inadequate mobile coverage is a major issue in Germany currently. However, it was also the reason why, until Thursday, the erdabgewandte side of the moon was completely unaffected by man-made technology. The back side of the moon is its dark side, as you can read this again and again falsely accused with reference to a well-known Pink-Floyd-Album. The moon is illuminated within one of his days, equivalent to 27 earth days, with the exception of a few crater depths anywhere from the sun. However, in the radio shadow of the moon back is completely. Therefore, the Chinese space Agency had kidney before the current Mission, a radio satellite in a sufficient distance to station, to the moon sending and receiving signals and can. Scientifically, especially the landing place in the Aitken basin near the South pole, since there due to an ancient asteroid strike on the surface of Material from deep layers is suspected. The study of the Region could help questions about the history and inner structure of the moon to answer. However, all analyses must take place, because a return transport of samples.

part of the Mission are Experiments with plants and animals. What's up with that?

a Mini-Ecosystem is Planned in an approximately 18-inch high tank with 16 centimeters in diameter. Natural sun light is to supply from seed sprouting potato - and narrow wall plants (Arabidopsis) energy, which would in turn produce oxygen. From the Chinese point of view, symbolic silkworms to hatch from eggs, and the plants of carbon dioxide and precipitates also deliver nutrients. Further, the animals are not likely to develop, as they don't eat potato - or narrow-wall sheets. The experiment in the vessel is observed by a camera, which temperature is to be regulated by controlling the supply of light. It would be the first Time that people on another celestial body would make as the earth's animals and plants to grow. Background is in addition to the prestige performance-oriented, manned, and befraute long-range space exploration, and space stations around Mars are likely to be possible only if the missions provide themselves with food and oxygen recycling.

What are the next, and the strategic objectives of China in space?

Chang'e-4 is the completion of Phase 2 of the Chinese lunar program. This year with the 5. Satellite of the series, Phase 3 will begin. Chang'e-5 will return to the earth, and about two kilograms of moon rock to bring. It is manned it for China first, but only on the earth orbit specifically. In the year 2020, the construction of a Chinese space station to begin. A manned flight to the moon is only provided for 30s. Spectacular successes in space are, according to experts, an important issue in the policy of the "Chinese dream" of President Xi Jinping.

What space powers and private space companies make other World?

2019 promises to be overall a year of new beginnings to be to the moon. Among the Nations who want to land probes, are also quite new, such as India and Israel. This includes missions to private companies, also about a country and a small lunar vehicle of the Berlin-based company, "Problem", whose Start but may move in the coming year. Is planned here for the first time, a kind of lunar archaeology: The landing shall be made on the landing site of Apollo 17. It's supposed to be then investigated, inter alia, whether on the left of the moon vehicle over the Years dust has accumulated on or not. To know this is important for the design of future stations, you need to know about whether solar panels require the cleaning. Elon Musks company SpaceX announced in turn, in the last year, 2023, for the first time the number of tourists in a building still to be a space ship, powered by a "Big Falcon Rocket", to the moon and back. And the large agencies, especially Nasa, but also Esa, want to work together in the future with private companies.

What role do the Europeans play?

The European space Agency, Esa currently has no specific stand-alone plans for moon missions. However, there are various projects in international cooperation, the planning of which is advanced different distances. So at the end of last year was delivered in Bremen-built propulsion module for the flights to the moon designed to supply space ship Orion to the partners at Nasa. And for the mid-to late-20s, the robotic Mission, "Heracles in co-operation with the Japanese and canadian space agencies," in an advanced stage of planning. You should, in turn, will help manned missions to prepare. Fixed the use of the Nasa and Roscosmos-designed transfer station by the name of "Lunar Orbital Platform Gateway", which should be stationed between the earth and the moon is already scheduled.

we Stand before a new race like in the 60s?

space travel China's first probe to land on the far side of the moon

no, and Yes. No, because it is no longer about the competition of two the concept of Society. In the American-Soviet space race of the past, every technological success was at the same time to the beat proof of the Superiority of the respective system has been highly stylized. Accordingly, the enormous funds invested by both States, to bring the first man on the moon. Temporarily engulfed the Apollo program, approximately five percent of the total U.S. budget. The height of the Russian expenditure is still not known. A race to the moon, could it be this time. The Chinese program was "a clear warning that China may be overtaking the United States and Russia, and the leading space Power," wrote the American political scientist John Hickman in the journal "Foreign Policy". He called on his country to take up the challenge.