China plans to send a robotic spacecraft on a round trip to the hidden side of the moon. This is the first of three missions. The spacecraft will carry payloads from a number of countries including Sweden.
The name of the spacecraft in Chang’e-6, named after the Chinese moon goddess. The have been a number of missions since the first Chang’e mission in 2007. Each one making progress in lunar exploration.
The payloads on Chang’e-6 is from Sweden, France, Italy and Pakistan. Typically payloads on spacecrafts references to the part of the spacecraft that is in charge of producing data and then transmitting it back to earth.
It is expected that the spacecraft will be launched later this week. If everything goes as planned, then the spacecraft will return with rocks and soil samples from the part of the moon facing away from the earth. China’s long term plan is that the Chang’e-6 will pave way for an inaugural Chinese crewed landing and base on the lunar south pole.
China aim to place astronauts on the moon by 2030.
Source: Reuters and European Space Agency
