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c0lo [soylentnews.org] writes:

Australian Broadcast Corporation [abc.net.au],

It is the first time a soft landing has been performed on the Moon's far side — also known as the dark side because it faces away from earth and remains comparatively unknown — due to challenges relaying signals.

The Chang'e 4 spacecraft touched down at 10:26am local time, the official China Central Television said.

Chang'e 4 is a lander-rover combination and will explore both above and below the lunar surface.

Some of the experiments aboard will investigate the Moon's potential to support future space travellers.

One of those experiments is a biosphere project, which includes silkworm eggs, thale cress and potato seeds.

If it goes to plan, the ecosystem would be self-sustaining, with the silkworms germinating the potatoes and popping out caterpillars. These would in turn produce carbon dioxide, helping the plants grow as a food source.

Also on The Guardian [theguardian.com], CNN [cnn.com]

_{YASM means 'Yet Another Sputnik Moment'}

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