China’s flag flies in front of the moon (Picture: AFP/Getty Images)

China is planning to become the first ever country to land on the dark side of the moon.

While the moon’s far hemisphere has been photographed many times since 1959, it is never directly visible from Earth and has not yet been explored.

China is hoping to send its Chang’e-4 probe up in 2018, according to the Xinhua news agency.

‘The Chang’e-4’s lander and rover will make a soft landing on the back side of the moon, and will carry out in-place and patrolling surveys,’ China’s lunar exploration chief, Liu Jizhong, said.


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Although the country sees its multibillion-dollar space programme as a sign of technical advancement, it has mainly reproduced missions that the US and Russia pioneered decades ago.

‘The implementation of the Chang’e-4 mission has helped our country make the leap from following to leading in the field of lunar exploration,’ Liu added.