The Yutu 2 rover, as seen by the Chang'e 4 lander. (Image credit: CNSA)
Space.com: China has moon's south pole in its sights with 3 missions launching this decade
Plans incorporate landers, orbiters, rovers and even hopping probes.
China has formally approved three missions targeting the south pole of the moon, with the first to launch around 2024.
The missions dubbed Chang'e 6, Chang'e 7 and Chang'e 8 will launch across the 2020s, each with different goals and an array of spacecraft. The trio make up the so-called fourth phase for the Chinese lunar exploration program, which most recently landed on the moon last December with a sample-return mission dubbed Chang'e 5.
Wu Yanhua, deputy head of the China National Space Administration (CNSA), told China Central Television (CCTV) in a recent interview that the three missions had been approved.
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WNU Editor: China and Russia have made their intentions very clear on what they want to do together in space .... China And Russia To Sign New 5-Year Space Cooperation Program That Includes Building An International Lunar Station By 2035 (December 29, 2021).
In the meantime America's space program is mired in red tape .... FAA delays release of SpaceX environmental review of Boca Chica site (Valley Central).