BEIJING (AP) Chinas burgeoning space program achieved a first today: a landing on the so-called dark side of the moon.
Three nations the United States, the former Soviet Union and more recently China have sent spacecraft to the near side of the moon, which faces Earth, but this landing is the first-ever on the far side.
The China National Space Administration said the 10:26 a.m. touchdown of the Change 4 craft has opened up a new chapter in human lunar exploration.