Decemeber 3rd 2020 - Chinese on the Moon

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Map of lunar landings (source: Wikimedia Commons)

As we await that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency land on the Moon, it is good to be reminded that some human individuals and artefacts have reached Earth's natural satellite literally. Chinese space probe Chang'e 5 has just left the surface of Moon carrying samples of lunar soil, which are expected to arrive on Earth in couple of days. The mission, which is part of a Chinese programme of lunar exploration started in 2007, will bring first such samples in 44 years.

While most commentators will likely see this event as the mostly scientific achievement, successful lunar landing of Chang'e 5 has its own political and economic significance. Lunar exploration used to be one of the biggest, althoufh least talked casualties, of the end of Space Race. Moon was neglected, especially in decades after the end of Cold War, when United States lost any interest to project its technological hegemony outside Earth. With Moon as potentially interesting source of precious mineral resources and with China more brazenly challenging US for the position of the world's greatest power, Chang'e 5 mission is an event that could have much more importance for future course of historic events than petty electoral politics or COVID-19.

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