China releases HD moon photos taken by Chang'e 3 spacecraft

get to Moon has always had great symbolic value for nations that aim to “conquer the world”. On December 14, 2013, the Chinese probe Chang'e 3 Yutu was successful in the mission to reach our natural satellite and made the China a third nation — after the US and the Soviet Union — to carry out a landing on lunar terrain.

A Chang'e 3 is named after the goddess of the Moon in Chinese mythology and was part of the mission along with the probes Chang'e 1 e Chang'e 2, both orbiting lunar vehicles. The mission objective of Chang'e 3 went to test the main necessary technologies for a moon landing. The mission was also equipped with a rover, a telescope and instruments to perform geological analyzes of the lunar surface.

The catheter made a controlled landing in the region of Mare Imbrium (Sea of ​​rain) the second largest “sea” of the Moon, so called because in ancient times it was thought to be a true sea. The success of the mission represents an important step for the Chinese space program, as it was the first moon landing in 37 years, since the landing of the Soviet probe Luna in 1976. 

The mission is expected Chang'e 3 can return to Earth in 2017 to provide surface samples of our planet's natural satellite. After this step, the next step is to make the Chang'e 4 — scheduled to be released in 2018 — land on the far side of the Moon (the “dark side” of the Moon). If that happens, the China will become the first country to land a probe on the most inhospitable region of the lunar surface.

According to the The Guardian, Chinese authorities plan to make a manned landing in 2025. This week, the Chinese Space Program released the first photos of the mission. Incredible high definition images were taken by Chang'e 3 Yutu and a rover — lunar vehicle designed to explore the surface of the Moon (Check it out in the gallery below).

While some dream of Mars, China seems to focus its efforts on the Moon.