我國宣佈計劃將於年探索月球陰暗面

China plans to land the first probe ever on the dark side of the moon in 2018, marking another milestone in its ambitious space program, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

據新華社報道，中國計劃於2018年發射首部探索月球背面的探測器。這將是中國太空項目中的又一里程碑事件。

China has launched a new round of work focused on lunar exploration, coming about two years after it made the first "soft landing" on the moon since 1976 with the Chang'e-3 craft and its Jade Rabbit rover.

此前，中國的嫦娥三號飛行器和玉兔號月球車已經成功地實現了自1976年以來的首次月球“軟着陸”。兩年後，中國開始了新一輪的月球探測工作。

A new probe, the Chang'e-4, is similar to the Chang'e-3 but can carry a bigger payload, Xinhua quoted Liu Jizhong, head of the science, technology and defense industry administration's lunar exploration center, as saying late on Thursday.

新華社引用國防科技局下屬探月中心主任劉繼忠的話稱，新探測器嫦娥四號和嫦娥三號相近，但是具有更大的有效負載。

The craft will study geological conditions on the far side of the moon, Liu said.

劉繼忠表示：“嫦娥四號將會探測月球背面的地理條件。”

Advancing China's space program has been a priority of leaders, with President Xi Jinping calling for China to establish itself as a space power. China insists that its space program is for peaceful purposes.

在習近平主席號召中國建立自主太空力量之下，發展中國太空項目已經是中國領導人的頭等要事之一。同時中國也堅稱其太空項目的出發點是和平的。