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Our Return to the Moon
The lander of Chang’e 3 took a panoramic shot of Mare Imbrium, the Sea of Rains, with the little rover, Yutu,
off on an early jaunt. Photo credit: CNSA and Ken Kremer.
China’s Chang’e 3 lunar mission landed on the moon this past December, 2013. This is very likely the first
step in humankind’s continual active presence on the surface of the moon. Mare Imbrium, the landing spot, is
the largest basin on near side of the moon, just to the south and west of the north pole at 44 degrees North.
China’s first two moon missions, Chang’e 1 and Chang’e 2, orbited the moon to determine the best terrain
and elements of interest for a landing area. Based on that data, and the data collected by the orbiters of
other countries, Mare Imbrium was chosen over the original target area of Sinus Iridum (Bay of Rainbows).
The landing spot