CHINA is set to send a robot spaceship up into space to explore the chilling dark side of the moon in the coming days.
The three-part journey will see China's extraordinary Chang'e-6 spacecraft embark on a mission to visit the moon's surface and gather enough data to allow astronauts to return by 2030.
Chinese scientists are also hoping they will continue to run away with the world's space race by getting their team of expert space dwellers to build a moon base up there.
Sometime this week the Chang'e-6 is set to blast off and land on the untouched side of the moon that is permanently facing away from Earth.
The daring first mission will take 53 days and will be done completely through a relay satellite orbiting the moon.
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Chang'e-6 is thought to be getting sent up to collect 2kg worth of rock and dirt samples from the surface of the moon.
The spacecraft will use an inbuilt mechanical scoop and drill.
Space expert and author Leonard David told Reuters: "If successful, China's Chang'e-6 mission would be a milestone-making event.
"The robotic reach to the Moon's far side, and bringing specimens back to Earth, helps fill in the blanks about the still-murky origin of our Moon."
Just a few days ago, the communist regime launched a three-member crew to its orbiting space station in a bid to push its ambitious space program.
The Shenzhou-18 spacecraft lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China atop a Long March 2-F rocket.
So far, China has managed to lay out a timeline for the seismic exploration attempt starting with the initial mission this week.
They have hopes to deploy a Chang'e-7 in 2026 and a Chang'e-8 in 2028.
Both of these missions will be done to further explore the moon's dark side and will use the satellite instead of being controlled by humans.
But by 2030, when China has managed to successfully pinpoint a potential water supply in space and built a rudimentary outpost with Russia they hope to have astronauts walking on the moon.
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Something that hasn't been replicated since Apollo 17 back in 1972.
Any signs of water are expected to be found on the moon's south pole - a place described as the "golden belt" for lunar exploration by scientists.
However, the US and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are preparing their own mission to send humans to the moon even sooner.
They will be rocketing off in 2026, say the space specialists, under the Artemis programme where they will explore the South Pole.
The initial Chang'e expedition took place in 2007 with China battling against NASA ever since to find a way back up to the moon.
The spacecraft is set to carry payloads from France, Italy, Sweden, and Pakistan on board.
Chang'e-7 is preparing to launch with Russian, Swiss and Thai payloads as well.
It is believed to be landing on the northeastern side of the gigantic South Pole-Aitkin Basin - the oldest recognised crater in the solar system.
Every sample from the moon so far has been collected from the near side of the moon hence the desperation to be the first nation to embark over to the dark side.
CHINESE SPACE CONCERNS
NASA chief Bill Nelson has also been outspoken with his fears about China's activities in space.
He warned China may be hiding secret military projects in space as they look to claim the entire moon as their own territory.
Bill said: "My concern would be if China got there first and said, 'This is our territory, you stay out'.
"Obviously you don't want to interfere with each other but don't declare that this whole territory is suddenly yours."
China has denied the accusations as purely scientific.
Under President Xi Jinping’s leadership, China has spent roughly £11.2billion on its ambitious space programme in 2023, according to Statista.
It comes as China is also preparing to bolster their space weapons by tripling its number of spy satellites in the next six years.
Experts warn the Communist regime could use them to support an invasion of Taiwan, with submarines firing missiles at targets that have been identified by the space tech.
In early March, scientists at the China National Space Administration revealed Chinese plans to build a Disneyland-sized lunar base with a CCTV system that's powerful enough to see activity on Earth.
