NASA and China will soon have their separate lunar explorations.
(Photo : Photo by Neil Armstrong/NASA/Getty Images)
Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin deploys a scientific experiment package on the surface of the moon. In the background is the Lunar Module, as is a flag of the United States.
But, it seems like the U.S.-owned international space agency and Chinese aerospace company, CNSA (China National Space Administration), may have some issues as they are now expected to rely on the same lunar landing locations.
As of writing, China and the United States are among the top countries when it comes to space endeavors. They are also the leading nations in lunar missions.
But, will similar moon landing sites create problems once NASA and CNSA launch their upcoming lunar explorations?
NASA, China to Have Same Moon Landing Locations
According to SpaceNews' latest report, NASA recently announced its selection of 13 potential locations for the upcoming Artemis 3 crewed mission.
(Photo : Photo by EVA MARIE UZCATEGUI/AFP via Getty Images)
NASAs Artemis I Moon rocket sits at Launch Pad Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center, in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on June 15, 2022. - NASA is aiming for June 18, for the beginning of the next wet dress rehearsal test of the agencys Space Launch System (SLS) at the Kennedy Space Center, with tanking operations on June 20.
Also Read: NASA Announces Official Relaunch of Artemis 1 Moon Mission by September 3
This lunar exploration is scheduled around late 2025. Each of the selected lunar landing sites is around 15 by 15 kilometers in size.
On the other hand, a new journal article also revealed the landing site selections of China for its own lunar south pole mission.
This document was authored by Zhang He, the Chang'e-4 lunar mission commander. Based on his article, there are 10 possible landing spots that the Chinese space agency is choosing from.
As of writing, this moon landing location list is claimed to be for the upcoming Chang'e-7 mission, which will be launched this coming 2024.
Now, there are potential landing locations for Chang'e-7 and Artemis 3. These are specifically the sites near Nobile, Haworth, and Shackleton craters.
Why do They Have the Same Lunar Landing Sites?
Space experts said that Artemis 3 and Chang'e-7 have some similar lunar landing sites because NASA and CNSA are trying to find moon locations that have good lighting and high elevation conditions.
They need to find these areas so that they can efficiently conduct experiments in permanently shadowed moon craters.
As of writing, it is still unclear how the two space agencies plan to work together while they are on the Earth's natural satellite.
Meanwhile, the NASA Artemis 1 mission is expected to continue its launch this September.
On the other hand, China is expected to develop the world's largest telescopes for sun explosion studies.
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Written by: Griffin Davis
