China confirms moonshot

China has announced that its Chang'e 5 mission to visit the Moon and bring back some samples will take place in the second half of 2017. Chang'e 5 has been slotted for 2017 since at least 2013, but China's never set a firm date. It's now done so. Oddly, the Chang'e 4 moonshot and rover mission is scheduled for 2018. China's …

[lawndart]

In English and German I know how to count down,

But I'm baffled by Chinese,

Says Werhner von Braun

[Anonymous Coward]

Sad

enthusiastic reports from state-controlled media

Well I'm excited, and I'm not Chinese. It's a bit sad if it needs media to be state-controlled in order for them to have any enthusiasm for a moon-landing with a return leg.

[That is a dig at Western media, but the way.]

[Mage]

India

I wonder will India bother with the moon, or will they go to Europa next, now that they have done Mars with MOM.

NASA predicted some date the Chinese would overtake them. I think though on Satellite Launches and some space tech the Europeans overtook USA some years ago. Why is UK doing a spaceport in UK, nearer equator makes more sense? Maybe they aren't European, as Europe already has a spaceport so good that the Russians are using it.

I wonder what the real Chinese goals are, or have they even thought it out that far ahead? They have a very big 500m radio telescope too. Much bigger than Arecibo. [sp?]

[WonkoTheSane]

Re: India

"Why is UK doing a spaceport in UK, nearer equator makes more sense?"

So... British territory near the equator... at Latitude 7° 56' South, that would be Ascension Island* then?

Already home to an RAF base and an ESA tracking station.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascension_Island

*most appropriate spaceport name... in the world!

[Alan Brown]

Re: India

"Why is UK doing a spaceport in UK"

Because winged sounding rockets need somewhere to land as well as launch.

[Yugguy]

NK for the win

Never mind the moon, NK have landed on the SUN!!!

[Alister]

Re: NK for the win

Ah, but I bet they didn't bring back any samples!

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: NK for the win

That blatant propagandist lies from imperialist lackey running dogs! Their Great Awesome Unsurpassed Leader did not need to bring back a sample! He was the one who brought the Sun in the sky in the first place!

[Uncle Slacky]

Re: NK for the win

Did they go at night?

[Ugotta B. Kiddingme]

Here's hoping

that EVERYONE's* future space plans are successful.

* Well... Maybe not those nasty Kanamits who want "To Serve Man"

[introdium]

they are really establishing colony there.... with this flag....

你所有的基地都属于我们

Nǐ suǒyǒu de jīdì dōu shǔyú wǒmen