Chang'e 4

Quick Facts: Who was Chang'e 4?

Subject:

Chang'e 4

Known for:

China's pioneering lunar mission to the Moon's far side, achieving a historic soft landing.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Chang'e 4 (; Chinese: 嫦娥四号; pinyin: Cháng'é Sìhào; lit. 'Chang'e No. 4') is a robotic spacecraft mission in the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program of the CNSA. It made a soft landing on the far side of the Moon, the first spacecraft to do so, on 3 January 2019. A communication relay satellite, Queqiao, was first launched to a halo orbit near the Earth–Moon L2 point in May 2018.

Career & Major Achievements

The robotic lander and Yutu-2 (Chinese: 玉兔二号; pinyin: Yùtù Èrhào; lit. 'Jade Rabbit No. 2') rover were launched on 7 December 2018 and entered lunar orbit on 12 December 2018, before landing on the Moon's far side. On 15 January it was announced that seeds had sprouted in the lunar lander's biological experiment, the first plants to sprout on the Moon. The mission is the follow-up to Chang'e 3, the first Chinese landing on the Moon.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The spacecraft was originally built as a backup for Chang'e 3 and became available after Chang'e 3 landed successfully in 2013. The configuration of Chang'e 4 was adjusted to meet new scientific and performance objectives. Like its predecessors, the mission is named after Chang'e, the Chinese Moon goddess.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 2013: 2013 Milestone — The spacecraft was originally built as a backup for Chang'e 3 and became available after Chang'e 3 landed successfully in 2013.
2. 2018: 2018 Milestone — A communication relay satellite, Queqiao, was first launched to a halo orbit near the Earth–Moon L2 point in May 2018.
3. 2019: 2019 Milestone — It made a soft landing on the far side of the Moon, the first spacecraft to do so, on 3 January 2019.

Notable Quotes by Chang'e 4

“NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine congratulated China and hailed the success of the mission as "an impressive accomplishment".” (2019)

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Chang'e 4

True or False: “Chang'e 4 was the first spacecraft to land on the far side of the Moon, which is a scientifically verifiable fact.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While Chang'e 4 was the first to land on the far side, the claim that this is a 'scientifically verifiable fact' is misleading because the mission's success itself is the primary verification, not a pre-existing, universally agreed-upon fact.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi — Historical peer (Died in 2019) (2019): Iraqi militant leader and founder of the Islamic State (IS)
• Agnès Varda — Historical peer (Died in 2019) (2019): Pioneering French filmmaker, artist, and documentarian celebrated for her unique vision.
• Aaron Klug — Historical peer (Died in 2018) (2018): Pioneering biophysicist known for crystallographic electron microscopy and nucleic acid structure.
• Alan Bean — Historical peer (Died in 2018) (2018): American astronaut, naval officer, and lunar explorer who walked on the Moon.
• Aaron Swartz — Historical peer (Died in 2013) (2013): Pioneering programmer, activist, and hacktivist known for RSS, Markdown, and progressive organizing.
• Ada Louise Huxtable — Historical peer (Died in 2013) (2013): Pioneering American architecture critic who elevated urban design to public discourse.

Frequently Asked Questions about Chang'e 4