China's first moon rover set off slowly Sunday to travel across the right eye of the Man in the Moon, leaving the first wheeled tracks on the moon's surface in nearly 40 years. No quote emerged to rival "one giant leap for mankind," but with one loud confirmation by mission control — "the probe landed safely" — China established its status Saturday night as the third nation ever to achieve a "soft-landing" on the moon. Two weeks after its launch from southwest China, the Chang'e 3 lunar probe, named after a moon goddess, made a careful descent that was reported live on state television. Only the USA and former Soviet Union have previously made soft landings on the moon, whereby the spacecraft and equipment remain intact and operable. Further celebrations followed Sunday morning as its major cargo, a solar-powered lunar rover named Jade Rabbit after the goddess' pet, rolled down a ramp and set off on a three-month mission to hunt for natural resources and conduct geological surveys.
This article was so interesting to me to hear of how China is just now putting a rover on the moon. When the United States accomplished the same feet some 45 years ago, I guess I just assumed everyone else would follow suit shortly thereafter. But to hear that it took China nearly 40 years to accomplish the same task, I believe it speaks to the level of resources and scientific advancements were have in the U.S. This article also goes on to say that China may one day emerge as a space power, which would make it interesting to observe the implications here in the states. Due to lack of major progress, NASA has lost millions in government funding, but if a rivalry with China were to flare back up, I believe we would soon be fighting yet another "space race", whether its to Mars or any other part of the final frontier.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/12/15/china-moon-landing/4030639/
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