Chinese spacecraft lands on far side of Moon to collect samples – China is aiming for a manned lunar landing by 2030 and to complete a lunar research base by 2035.
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/06/38b149217000-chinese-spacecraft-lands-on-far-side-of-moon-to-collect-samples.html#google_vignette
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>A Chinese unmanned spacecraft successfully landed on the far side of the Moon on Sunday, state-run media reported, in the world’s first attempt to bring back samples from the rarely explored area.
>The project is part of China’s efforts to become a space power and take the lead in space development, amid intensifying competition with countries such as the United States and India.
Meanwhile NASA administrator Bill Nelson was in a Congressional hearing recently where he referred to the far side of the moon as the “dark side,” said we knew nothing about it, and when asked what reason he thought China would have to want to land there, said he had “no idea”