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China is scheduled to launch an uncrewed lunar mission Friday that aims to bring back samples from the far side of the moon for the first time, in a potentially major step forward for the country’s ambitious space program.

The Chang’e-6 probe – China’s most complex robotic lunar mission to date – marks a key milestone in the country’s push to become a dominant space power with plans to land astronauts on the moon by 2030 and build a research base on its south pole.

The expected launch of the probe on a Long March-5 rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China’s Hainan island comes as a growing number of countries, including the United States, eye the strategic and scientific benefits of expanded lunar exploration in an increasingly competitive field.

China’s planned 53-day mission would see the Chang’e-6 lander touch down in a gaping crater on the moon’s far side, which never faces Earth. China became the first and only country to land on the moon’s far side during its 2019 Chang’e-4 mission.

Any far-side samples retrieved by the Chang’e-6 lander could help scientists peer back into the evolution of the moon and the solar system itself – and provide important data to advance China’s lunar ambitions.

“The Chang’e-6 aims to achieve breakthroughs in the design and control technology of the moon’s retrograde orbit, intelligent sampling, take-off and ascent technologies, and automatic sample-return on the far side of the moon,” Ge Ping, deputy director of the China National Space Administration’s Center of Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering said last week from the launch site.

Ambitious mission

The Chang’e-6 probe will be a key test for China’s space capabilities in its effort to realize leader Xi Jinping’s “eternal dream” of building the country into a space power.

China has made rapid space advancements in recent years, in a field traditionally led by the United States and Russia.

With the Chang’e program, launched in 2007 and named for the moon goddess of Chinese mythology, China in 2013 became the first country to achieve a robotic lunar landing in nearly four decades. In 2022, China completed its own orbital space station, the Tiangong.

The technically complex Chang’e-6 mission builds on both the Chang’e-4’s 2019 record of landing on the far side of the moon, and Chang’e-5’s 2020 success returning to Earth with near-side moon samples.

This time, to communicate with Earth from the moon’s far side, Chang’e-6 must rely on the Queqiao-2 satellite, launched into lunar orbit in March.

The probe itself is composed of four parts: an orbiter, a lander, an ascender and a reentry module.

The mission plan is for the Chang’e-6’s lander to gather moon dust and rocks after touching down in the sprawling, roughly 2,500-kilometer diameter South Pole-Aitken basin, a crater formed some 4 billion years ago.

An ascender spacecraft would then transport the samples to the lunar orbiter for transfer to the reentry module and the mission’s return to Earth.

The complex mission “goes through virtually every step” that will be required for Chinese astronauts to land on the moon in the years ahead, according to James Head, a professor emeritus at Brown University who has collaborated with Chinese scientists leading the mission.

In addition to returning samples that could yield “fundamental new insights into the origin and early history of the moon and solar system,” the mission also serves as “robotic practice for these steps” to get astronauts to the moon and back, he said.

China plans to launch two more missions in the Chang-e series as it nears its 2030 target of sending astronauts to the moon before building a research station in the following decade on the lunar south pole – a region believed to contain water ice.

Chang’e-7, scheduled for 2026, will aim to search for resources on the moon’s south pole, while Chang’e-8 roughly two years later could look at how to utilize lunar materials to prepare for building the research base, Chinese officials have said.

Competitive space

Friday’s launch comes as multiple nations ramp up their lunar programs amid a growing focus on the potential access to resources and further deep space exploration access that successful moon missions could bring.

Last year, India landed its first spacecraft on the moon, while Russia’s first lunar mission in decades ended in failure when its Luna 25 probe crashed into the moon’s surface.

In January, Japan became the fifth country to land a spacecraft on the moon, though its Moon Sniper lander faced power issues due to an incorrect landing angle. The following month, IM-1, a NASA-funded mission designed by Texas-based private firm Intuitive Machines, touched down close to the south pole.

That landing – the first by a US-made spacecraft in over five decades – is among several planned commercial missions intended to explore the lunar surface before NASA attempts to return US astronauts there as soon as 2026 and build its scientific base camp.

NASA administrator Bill Nelson last month appeared to acknowledge that China’s pace – and concerns about its intentions – were driving the American urgency to return to the moon, decades after its Apollo-crewed missions.

“We believe that a lot of their so-called civilian space program is a military program. I think in effect we are in a race,” Nelson told lawmakers last month, adding his concern that China could try to bar the US or other countries from certain lunar areas if they arrive there first.

China has long said it stands for the peaceful use of space, and, like the US, has looked to use its space prowess to cultivate international goodwill.

This time, China has said the Chang’e-6 mission will carry scientific instruments or payloads from France, Italy, Pakistan and the European Space Agency.

Wallace Ruzvidzo-Herald Reporter

Products such as petrol and diesel will soon be sold in the recently introduced ZiG currency as transactions shift from being largely US dollar-denominated to local currency, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor Dr John Mushayavanhu has said.

In addition, the RBZ Governor warned the few companies that are not accepting the ZiG currency, that a time will come when they will need the local currency to settle their tax obligations.

This comes as the ZiG continues to inspire confidence across all markets as the legal tender of choice, following its introduction early last month, with notes and coins having started circulating on Tuesday.

In an interview after a closed-door meeting with Vice President Kembo Mohadi at his Munhumutapa Offices yesterday, Dr Mushayavanhu said as the year progresses, more products and services would be sold in the ZiG.

Thus, he cautioned businesses from selling exclusively in US dollars, as it would prove detrimental to their operations going forward.

“Currently, we are operating in an environment where 80 percent of the transactions are in US dollars and 20 percent in ZiG, so we are going to gradually allow a situation where we move from 80-20 to 70-30 to 60-40 to 50-50 as we go along and move towards 2030.

“As we do that more and more, products will be sold in the local currency, but beyond that, I want to say to those people refusing to sell their products in ZiG that they will find themselves in a situation where they will be hunting for this ZiG but will not be able to find them.

“If you recall Government said that in the June QPD (Quarterly Payment Date), they want 50 percent of taxes to be paid in ZiG so if you are a taxpayer and you are selling all your goods in US dollars, where are you going to get the ZiG to pay the tax? And when you then want to buy it from the market, it will be expensive,” he said.

“So, I am just warning them, if I were a fuel dealer I would sell some of my fuel in ZiG now so that I have enough money to pay tax when it falls due.”

Dr Mushayavanhu said the new currency had inspired confidence among Zimbabweans and business owners, especially following the introduction of notes and coins into the market.

“The new structured ZiG has been widely accepted by the market, if you recall on April 5, we had phase 1 of the introduction of ZiG, which involved the conversion of bank balances into ZiG, that was successfully done.

“We then moved to the second stage, which was educating the masses on the features of the ZiG notes and coins, and that went on until April 29. On April 30 we launched ZiG notes and coins, we introduced 1 ZiG, 2 ZiG, 5 ZiG in coins and 10 ZiG in notes and that has been widely accepted by the market. They are using it. That has alleviated the problem of change. We had situations where people were being told there is no change in a kombi but now, if you give them US$1, you get your 7 ZiG change, so we have solved the problem of change in the market,” he said.

Quizzed further on businesses selling products and services exclusively in US dollars, the Governor said it was “illegal”.

If business owners do not comply, he said, the Central Bank would move in to penalise them.

“Well, that is not allowed, that is illegal but we have also done our rounds, the majority of the retailers are selling in ZiG and US$ because we are in a multi-currency arrangement and we have also been monitoring the exchange rate that these retailers are using.

“Most are complying and those that are not complying have been cautioned by FIU (Financial Intelligence Unit) and, if they continue doing that, they stand to be fined or even have their accounts frozen,” he said.

Dr Mushayavanhu said the parallel market cannot sustain its operations as the ZiG was proving to be a strong and stable currency by the day.

“The black market will not come again because ZiG is a stable currency backed by gold, precious metals, and the foreign exchange balances that we have. For every ZiG that we have, there is an equivalent if not more cover in the form of reserves, so there is no reason why anyone would go and sell their ZiG and get a value which is less than the reserves that are backing that currency.

“If you do that you are just being cheated by these unscrupulous people,” he said.

VP Mohadi said he had directed the Governor to protect the currency’s stability as it would resultantly inspire confidence among Zimbabweans.

“So he was telling me that we seem to be on track, things are going smoothly and I was saying to him, let’s maintain that and guard against anything that is going to disrupt our currency.

“Let us speak good of our currency, let the people speak well about our currency, the party (Zanu PF) as well should also speak well about our currency. We should propagate that information to our people so that the people use our currency and then we develop a trust for our currency, that is what we were discussing,” he said.

VP Mohadi said Dr Mushayavanhu had apprised him well in terms of how the ZiG was performing since it was introduced.

“He came up with quite several measures, among them being the introduction of the ZiG, he was just briefing me on how far they have gone on the issue of the currency,” he said.

Precious Manomano-Herald Reporter

In the wake of the ravaging El Nino-induced drought, Government has taken drastic measures to ensure that grain is available to about 7,7 million people in need of food aid, from both rural and urban areas.

Already, distribution of food relief is underway with grain importation and a schools feeding programme in the offing.

At the same time, the establishment of irrigation schemes and drilling of boreholes is also shaping up in every part of the country. This season, the Government is also targeting to increase the winter wheat hectarage to curb food shortages.

Latest official statistics indicate that 6 million people in communal areas and 1,7 million in cities and towns require food assistance, and following the declaration of a State of Disaster by President Mnangagwa, resources are being pooled together, by the Government and private sector, to ensure that no one starves.

In an interview, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development permanent secretary Professor Obert Jiri said the private sector started importing grain last August, adding that this is critical in addressing food shortages in the country.

“After our assessment, about 6 million in communal areas and 1,7 million in urban areas need food aid. So as Government, we need to intervene and ensure that all these people are food secure.

“Despite this serious drought, farmers were prepared. Some still have the stocks from the previous season. We appreciate farmers who have prepared for this drought. So far we have the grain in the Strategic Reserve Grain, so the Government wants private players to step up to ensure enough food for the vulnerable and nationally, regardless of the impact of drought on the current season. 

“We urge private players to import as much as possible to avert food shortages. The other issue is the bigger wheat hectarage that we are targeting this season. It will curb food shortages as well,’’ he said.

Prof Jiri added that all vulnerable and food-insecure households will have access to grain as the Second Republic scales up efforts to fight hunger across the country.

The Government will also start importing cereals but statistics indicate that it will take several months before the imports are needed to supplement the local stocks in the Strategic Grain Reserve.

This week Cabinet said despite the El Nino-induced drought and declaration of the State of Disaster by the President, all was in place to provide affordable grain, through sale or social welfare channels, till the next harvest in March 2025.

Speaking during a post-Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, said Cabinet received and adopted the update on the summer marketing and winter cereals plan, which was presented by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka.

Minister Muswere said the food security balance sheet comprises stock held by individuals, the private sector and Government, the El Nino-induced drought harvest gleanings, imports by Government and the private sector and winter cereal production.

“The wheat-based food security strategic intervention will reduce the import requirement by the Government by 486 000 tonnes, which is equivalent to US$189,5 million. Sufficient resources will therefore be deployed towards the timeous payments for local grain deliveries.

“The shortfall in grain requirements will be met through imports by the private sector, which has indicated the capacity to import 1 000 000 tonnes between April 2024 and March 2025, to mitigate the effects of drought,” he said.

Minister Muswere said the Grain Marketing Board stocks as at April 25, 2024 for maize, traditional grains and Strategic Grain Reserve wheat are 308 139 tonnes, and that of wheat available for sale is 122 072 tonnes.

Recently, Government introduced new measures aimed at ensuring food availability, which will take effect in July, including duty waivers on the importation of rice, maize, potato seed, cooking oil and genetically modified maize for stock feed, whose milling and distribution will be strictly supervised.

Recently, President Mnangagwa said the Government would intervene to mitigate the effects of drought while seeking assistance internationally and locally.