Humans are very eager to study the moon’s secrets, and so scientists from all around the world are trying their best to reach a site that can give them a perfect study to read unknown facts about the moon.
The US and China moon race is on as their scientists are finding ways to reach their astronauts on the moon. The lunar south pole is considered one of the vital sites to land on and ideal for scientific research. Aitken Basin- the south pole of the Moon is the largest structure in the whole region. According to the study, China is aiming to do its first lunar mission by sending its astronauts to the moon by the end of 2030.
Why the South Pole is the frontline of the US-China moon race
The US-China moon race is not just about landing and waving the flags of their nation, but it’s about getting the unknown secrets out of the moon.
The South Pole is considered the best place for observation purposes. There is a surprising spot located near to this pole that is known as Rimae Bode. A new paper in Nature Astronomy has called this area a ‘geological museum.’ It does not contain the frozen craters found at the poles or the shadowed craters. Rather than polar craters that were created during volcanic eruptions, this area has many of the same features as polar craters. Rimae Bode contains volcanic plains, old highlands, and lava flow valleys like rivers, all in one place.
Studies say that the value of ‘scientific gold’ at this location comes from the presence of pyroclastic deposits (tiny volcanic glass beads made during volcanic eruptions over three billion years ago). Tiny volcanic glass beads are like time capsules because they contain water and chemicals formed deep in the Moon’s mantle during volcanic activity. The lunar lander on China’s planned 2030 lander mission could address many of the unanswered questions about the formation of both the Moon and Earth, and could provide a much more detailed picture of the history of the Moon than the polar lander formation, which is easier to study.
How will China actually land on the surface
A successful moon landing by 2030 will use a ‘staged’ method by China rather than an all-in-one launch vehicle, as NASA did with the Apollo program. The CMSA will be sending two separate Long March 10 rockets to complete the mission, as both the manned spacecraft, Mengzhou (Dream Vessel), and lander, Lanyue (Embrace the Moon), will have separate launches according to the official CMSA mission profiles. Following their successful landing together in lunar orbit, the astronauts will be transferred to the lunar lander for the final descent to the surface of the moon.
What is the ‘Tansuo’ rover, and how does it help
China is currently working on the Tansuo crewed rover, which will enable astronauts to continue exploring the rugged terrain of the Moon. According to a statement released by the Chinese Manned Space Agency (CMSA), the rover will accommodate 2 astronauts travelling across the grey lunar soil.The rover will incorporate banking technology to maintain its stability when driving on slippery lunar regolith and steep inclines. It will also be a mobile laboratory for taikonauts, and each of them will be able to travel up to 10 km from their lunar lander to obtain ‘scientific gold’ – volcanic glass beads and other mineral specimens that could change our understanding of the history of the Solar System.
