There are a lot of exciting space missions to look forward to in 2018 , from the initiatory launching of SpaceX’sFalcon Heavyto areturn to Mercury . But China might be design one of the most exciting mission of all – the first - ever landing on the far side of the Moon .

squall Chang’e 4 , the mission will be China ’s fourth to the Moon , follow two orbiters in 2007 and 2010 , and a rover in 2013 . There have been plenty of other proposals to shoot down on the far side of the Moon , not least from the US and Russia , but none have materialized .

“ The Chinese are pushing back the frontier with such a technically challenging mission , ” space psychoanalyst Brian Harvey toldThe Guardian .

The military mission will entail two parts . The first , possibly launch in June this year , will be a relay satellite place into lunar orbit . As the far side is blocked from Earth ’s view , a relay satellite is need to transmit communication between the surface and our satellite . Then , by theend of the year , we might see the landing place take place .

Chang’e 4 was plan as a backup to Chang’e 3 , the partially successful lander and rover ( send for Jade Rabbit ) that land on thenear side of the Moonin 2013 . Chang’e 4 will be similar , comprising also a lander and a bird of passage . While the precise specifics of the delegacy are n’t clear-cut yet , we do know how it might make the most of the unique opportunity .

The Moon is tidally locked to our planet , so one of its faces always point towards us . This means we never see the far side – often incorrectly called the “ dark side ” , although both sides of the Moon reveal equal quantity of visible light as it orbits Earth .

But it is dark in a sensation , in that radio set signals from Earth are blocked from reach the far side . If you were to pose a radio scope on the far side of the Moon , well , you ’d get a rather incredible uninterrupted view of the cosmos . Chang’e 4 may admit such a scope , although that ’s not clean-cut at the mo .

What ’s more clear is that the lander will likely include asmall ecosystem , to try the growth of plant and insect on the lunar surface . This will let in murphy and silkworm eggs , and the event is prepare to be live - streamed for the world back on Earth to see .

China ’s ultimate end is to down human race on the Moon , perhaps in the 2030s . They also have program to repay a sample distribution as early as 2019 . Chang’e 4 could be an of import step towards those goals .