No human has set foot on the Moon since 1972. Now, after more than four decades of inactivity, interest in putting humans back on the Moon is finally heating up again. But who will get there first?
CHINA
On 14 December 2013, China successfully landed its Jade Rabbit rover (探测车) on the Moon. It is now working on its next exploration mission. Named Chang'e 4 the mission is scheduled to touch down in the Aitken Basin near the end of 2018. If successful it will be the first landing on the Moon's far side.
RUSSIA
Russia plans a manned Moon landing in 2030. It is currently working on a project whose idea is that the lander will explore the south pole of the Moon, exploring for resources such as minerals and water ice to be used to provide for a human outpost (前哨站).
INDIA
Following the success of its Chandrayaan-1 in 2008 India announced a follow-on mission
Chandrayaan-2 was meant to cooperate with Russia. But when the Russians failed to deliver the promised lander in 2013. India decided to go it alone. Chandrayaan-2 is about to be sent up in 2018.
U.S.A.
In December 2018 NASA plans to send up the Exploration Mission 1, an unscrewed test of their Orion astronaut capsule in which the craft will circle around the Moon before returning to Earth. All being well, a crewed capsule will follow in 2023. Should the mission prove a success, the astronauts will be the first humans to see the far side of the Moon with their own yes since Apollo 17 in 1972.
