China plans to send a flying robot to search for water on the moon’s far side
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/04/science/china-moon-flying-robot-change-7-intl-hnk-scn/index.html
China plans to send a flying robot to search for water on the moon’s far side
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/04/science/china-moon-flying-robot-change-7-intl-hnk-scn/index.html
8 Comments
This is what the superpowers should be doing. Competing in technology, space etc. Not mindless killing of Ukrainians by Russia, taking the whole world for a ride with “tariffs, no tariffs”, blackmailing and threatening allied countries, legislating against your competitors etc. Compete on merit.
Fun Fact: Whatever China says it’s doing, it isn’t doing…it’s doing something else but never what china tells you it’s doing…
From [elsewhere](https://interestingengineering.com/space/china-flying-robot-hunt-water-moon):
> The flying detector’s rocket propulsion system allows it to function in the Moon’s vacuum. It will be equipped with fuel tanks and thrusters to achieve flights. These features give the robot the ability to take off quickly and land in various tricky lunar locations.
> Interestingly, the design of this six-legged flying detector will ensure safe landings on steep slopes. As per SCMP, it also uses leg trajectory planning and joint movement for lunar surface navigation.
A government that’s actually doing something to advance space exploration? Cool.
Great! And I hope they can continue doing great things in space.
To be pedantic, it’s not flying if there is no atmosphere, it’s just a highly maneuverable rocket that can land and take off multiple times.
Another one of China’s many plans.
Let’s post about it when or if it actually materialises.
Is there any concrete reason why the far side of the moon would by any less dry than the near side? At least the near side enjoys some shadow of the earth while it’s facing the sun.
The far side would be even more baked?