History · Lunar far side

Von Karman Crater

China's Chang'e 4 landed on the floor of Von Karman Crater, becoming the first spacecraft to make a soft landing on the lunar far side.

Mission / archive

Chang'e 4

Historical milestone

3 January 2019

Approximate regional locator

-45.50°, 177.60°

Suggested virtual visit

0 of 3 stops reviewed

1. Far-side landing overviewRead the landing story using orbital observations.2. Crater floorCompare the terrain around the landing region.3. Relay communicationsLearn why far-side operations need a communications relay.

Mission archive

Read the original mission account and explore official imagery. Suggested stops are virtual study prompts, not measured waypoints or live robot access.

Official history and imagery ↗

Explore related site: far side →