The landing of the lunar probe Chang'e-4 on January 2, 2019 makes China the first country to land a probe on the far side of the moon. This follows a landing by Chang'e-3 lunar probe in 2013. A followup mission Chang'e-5 in Dec. 2019 will collect samples of the moon's surface and send them back to earth. The goal is to build a lunar base by 2025 and man the facility by 2030, and in the long run mine the moon for energy resources. The U.S. space program has lacked the steady commitment and vision needed to put astronauts on the moon for a second time, and is now being given a fresh boost for challenges ahead.
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