CHINA’S CHANG’E-4 LANDS ON LUNAR FARSIDE, early January 2019

Update, January 2 EST:  Chang’e-4 landed at 9:26 pm EST tonight, which was 10:26 am January 3 Beijing time.

China’s Chang’e-4 lunar lander/rover is expected to become the first spacecraft to make a soft landing on the far side of the Moon in early January 2019.

China has not announced when the landing will take place, but analysts of China’s space program believe it will be in the January 1-3 time period.

The spacecraft was launched on December 7, 2018 EST (December 8 local time at the launch site) and entered lunar orbit on December 12.  China is waiting to conduct the landing until the far side of the Moon is sunlit, which will be in early January.