Can China build a lunar base? Absolutely. Can human beings survive on the Moon and other planets for the long term? The answer to that is less clear
The team most likely to get to the moon first, the non-profit SpaceIL, is attempting the feat mostly to prove it can be done
Human and other missions to the Moon are planned by India, China and Russia, as well as Japan and Europe
India is all set to send two separate spacecrafts to the moon within the next five months, both of which will aim to land on the lunar surface and will carry precious payloads of rovers for exploration.While one spacecraft will be the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) own Chandrayaan-2, the other will be from India's first private moonshot Team Indus which is competing in the Google LunarXPrize challenge.Both the spacecrafts will ride on ISRO's launchers - the smaller Team Indus spacecraft will be launched on the workhorse PSLV, while the Chandrayaan-2 will be launched on the larger GSLV Mk II."In Chandrayaan-2, the orbiter is currently getting integrated at ISAC (ISRO Satellite Centre) Bangalore. The lander, rover and various instruments and the systems are undergoing tests. By the first quarter of next year, we expect to put the orbiter, lander and rover into the lunar orbit," said A S Kiran Kumar, Chairman of ISRO, on Monday.While ISRO doesn't have any deadlines for ...
The city-based TeamIndus is competing in the 30-million dollar Google Lunar Xprize
Names of contributors to Team Indus project to be etched on an object going to space