The Chinese space program has been making great strides in recent years. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) runs it. Yang Liwei was the first Chinese astronaut aboard the 2003 flight aboard Shenzhou 5. It is believed that China has a goal of putting men on the Moon. Before that happens, it has been doing some preliminary work to explore our nearest celestial neighbor. That includes a landing on the lunar surface.

Above is an animation about lunar lander Chang’e-3. It shows the craft touching down on the lunar surface. That is the Chinese version, not the one they released to the outside world and was intended for the home market. Getting it was not easy, incidentally, seeing as how I do not read Chinese. But, there it is.

Marvelous stuff. While NASA goes on mysterious expeditions like lassoing asteroids, the Chinese are quietly building the foundations for their own space presence. At this rate, they'll be back on the moon before the United States.

2020