What lies on the dark side of the moon? The ruined civilization of our lunar forbearers? A pile of overplayed Pink Floyd records? The most exclusive Airbnb in the galaxy? China’s on the case, launching the first expedition of its kind, a journey to the moon’s untapped hemisphere.
The closest extraterrestrial body, the moon has done much to shape our history and mythologies. It’s been associated with Artemis and Greek conceptions of rebirth. It’s also connected with Chang’e, the Chinese goddess of the moon.
Hence the name of China’s latest probe, the Chang’e-4. The mission, part of China’s Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP), plans to land the probe and accompanying rover on the far side of the moon.
"We are currently discussing the next moon landing site for Chang’e 4," Chief lunar exploration engineer Wu Weiren told China Central Television. "We probably will choose a site that is more difficult to land and more technically challenging. Other countries have chosen to land on the near side of the moon. Our next move probably will see some spacecraft land on the far side of the moon."
The Chang’e-4 will follow the Chang’e-3, a probe launched in 2013, which carried the Jade Rabbit rover to the lunar surface. Though currently immobile, Jade Rabbit still transmits data back to Earth, and Chang’e-4 would take on a different scientific role.
Much of the Moon’s far side is covered by the South Pole-Aitken basin, one of the largest impact craters in the solar system. If we associate the near side with the face of the happy-go-lucky Man in the Moon, the crater on the far side could have completely reshaped cultural mythologies if the synchronous orbit had been reversed. The Aitken basin could have made the moon appear to be an ominous eye in the sky. An ancient, eternal Big Brother. A body to be feared rather than worshipped.
