China wants to put a lander on the dark side of the moon this year

BEIJING — China will reportedly attempt to land on the far side of the moon later this year, a feat never attempted by any other spacefaring nation.

According to the Guardian, the People's Republic will launch two missions known as Chang'e 4. The first will see a satellite stationed some 60,000km from the lunar body to act as a communications relay between Earth and the moon. The second mission will see China attempt to land a spacecraft on the far side of the moon.

If successful, Chang'e 4 could see China become the first nation to ever to navigate to that area of the moon.