China unveils vehicle to explore moon's far side

China has unveiled an exploration vehicle which is expected to land on the far side of the moon by this year end, a state-run media reported.

The unnamed lander and rover will land on the Aitken Basin of the lunar south pole region on the far side of the moon as a part of Chang'e 4, a planned Chinese lunar exploration mission to be launched in December 2018.

According to the images revealed to the media yesterday, the rover is a 1.5 mX1m rectangular box with two foldable solar panels and six wheels. It's height is 1.1 metre, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The shape of the vehicle is similar to its predecessor Yutu, China's first lunar rover launched for the Chang'e-3 lunar probe in 2013.

Like Yutu, the rover is equipped with four scientific payloads, including a panoramic camera, infrared imaging spectrometer and radar measurement devices, to obtain images of moon's surface and detect lunar soil and structure.

However, it has more adaptable parts and an adjustable payload configuration to deal with the complex terrain on the far side of the moon and the demand of relay communication, Wu Weiren, the chief designer of China's lunar programme, was quoted as saying by the news agency.

The vehicle will endure vacuum, intense radiation and extremes of temperature. The moon has a large temperature difference between day and night, which can reach more than 300 degrees Celsius.

Both the lander and rover will carry international payloads for other countries, the report said.

The global public will have a chance to name the rover, according to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence.

Participants can submit their proposed names for the rover through the internet from August 15 to September 5, and the official name will be announced in October after several selection rounds.

Winners will be rewarded at most 3,000 yuan and invited to watch the lunar probe launch.

The name Yutu was chosen from 200,000 proposals submitted over two months worldwide.

Direct communication with the far side of the moon is not possible, which is one of the many challenges for the Chang'e-4 mission.

China had launched a relay satellite, named Queqiao, in May to set up a communication link between the Earth and Chang'e-4 lunar probe.