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From far side of Moon to deep universe: Review of main progress of space exploration in 2018

  • ZHENG Yongchun
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  • National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

Received date: 2019-01-05

  Revised date: 2019-01-28

  Online published: 2019-02-27

Abstract

We review the significant progress in space exploration in this article. China's Chang'E-4 lunar lander and rover successfully landed on the far side of the moon with the landing site in the von Carmen crater in the South-Pole Aitken Basin. This is the first spacecraft that landed on the far side the moon. As planned, Chang'E-5 will return lunar rocks and soil samples in 2019. Subsequently, China's Lunar Exploration Program is going to construct a lunar research station in the future. In terms of Mars exploration, the key task is to answer whether there was a suitable environment for life on Mars and its duration. China's Mars probe is already under development and will be launched in the next launch window. In terms of gravitational wave detection, China is launching the Ali original gravitational wave detection plan which is based on ground observation. Meanwhile, two plans on gravitational wave detection in space have been proposed, called the Taiji plan and Tianqin plan. They are expected to make important contributions in this field. Observation of universe by multimessengers and searching for habitable exoplanets are the frontiers in the field of astronomy and astrophysics. New breakthrough is forthcoming.

Cite this article

ZHENG Yongchun . From far side of Moon to deep universe: Review of main progress of space exploration in 2018[J]. Science & Technology Review, 2019 , 37(3) : 35 -39 . DOI: 10.3981/j.issn.1000-7857.2019.03.004

References

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