Researchers from China are narrowing down the landing sites for the nation’s first crewed mission to the Moon, set to take place before 2030.
Using multiple orbital datasets, a team from China University of Geosciences in Wuhan has put forward four potential landing sites within the Rimae Bode region, which they say could give astronauts access to a diverse range of geological materials.
The region near the middle of the Moon’s near side, just above the equator, offers volcanic debris, mare basalts (iron-rich igneous rocks), and high‑thorium terrains, which contain rare-Earth metals. The part near the highlands on the central lunar nearside may be of interest to scientists because of its varied terrain and the materials on the surface. The age range of materials also makes it important for understanding how the Moon’s surface and interior have changed over time.
At the same time, there are practical benefits. It is relatively flat and is directly visible from Earth.
Maosheng Yang and colleagues examined the region’s channels and impact craters to conclude that there were likely several separate volcanic events at different times in the region. Readers will be able to see the appeal in this handy fly-over video.
In a paper published in Nature Astronomy, the authors said: “Based on this information, we propose four prospective landing sites in the traversable areas, which provide a range of diverse geological samples … Such a collection may provide insights into the geological evolution of the region and enhance our understanding of the lunar mantle composition and volcanic processes.”
The planned lunar landing as part of China’s crewed space program raises the prospect of a renewed space race, as US astronauts now plan to revisit Earth’s natural satellite in 2028.
Earlier this month, NASA reorganized its Artemis program, moving the first crewed lunar landing in more than half a century to Artemis IV. Artemis III is now set to test systems and operations in low Earth orbit, including docking and integrated checkout with a commercial lunar lander.
Artemis III is penciled in for 2027 and Artemis IV is set to launch in 2028. The mission change follows findings from a recent report by NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP), which warned that Artemis III was trying to do too much at once. ®