COLD WAR II: Chang’e 4 landing on far side of moon marks start of China’s space race with the US.

The next stage of the mission, according to the CNSA, is for Chang’e 4 to release a rover to explore the surrounding area, fire up ground penetration radar to map the moon’s inner structures, analyse soil and rock samples for minerals and chemicals with potential economic values, and activate a radio telescope to search for possible signals from distant universes.

The probes also carried a canister filled with air, soil, water, bacterium, silkworm eggs, the seeds of a small flowering plant and a potato. Scientists hope that the small eco-system will spring to life and produce the first blossoming flowers on the moon in about three months’ time.

It’s an impressive achievement, but the real action these days is in private space projects. Where is the Chinese Burt Rutan, Jeff Bezos, or Elon Musk?

UPDATE (FROM GLENN): I believe some of those are in the works, actually.