No Launch Today, But China’s Lunar Ambitions

There isn’t news of a Chinese lunar mission launch today, May 3rd, 2024. However, China’s lunar exploration program, called Chang’e, is very active.

Here’s a quick update:

Future Missions: China has several upcoming missions planned. Chang’e 6, a lander designed to collect and return samples from the Moon’s south pole, is a high priority. Chang’e 7 will be a multi-part mission with an orbiter, lander, rover, and probe to further explore the south pole region, searching for water ice.
Recent Success: The Chang’e 5 mission in 2020 successfully collected and returned lunar samples to Earth, a major achievement.
Long-Term Goals: China aims to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030 and is developing the necessary spacecraft and lander for this ambitious goal.

For more information on China’s lunar program, you can check out these resources:

Wikipedia: Chinese Lunar Exploration Program: en.wikipedia.org
NASA’s page on future Chinese lunar missions: Future Chinese Lunar Missions: nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov

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