In May 2021, International Astronomical Union (IAU)’s Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN) gave approval for naming 8 features in the Moon with Chinese names around the location where China’s Chang’e-5 Spacecraft landed in December 2020.
i.Chang’e-5 brought back fresh Lunar samples to Earth, which was previously bought 40-years back by the USA’s 1969 Apollo 11 Mission.
Note- In 2019, China’s Chang’e-4 probe became the 1st spacecraft to land on the dark side of the Moon.
ii.8 Feature Names – Mons Hua, Mons Heng, Pei Xiu, Shen Kuo, Liu Hui, Song Yingxing, Statio Tianchuan, and Xu Guanqui.
iii.The locations are named after China’s famous Astronomers, Scientists, Mathematicians, Cartographers, Mountains, and a Constellation.
Note – In August 2020, ISRO named 250-300 kms long Moon crater as “Sarabhai Crater” to pay tribute to Vikaram Sarabhai, “Father of Indian Space Program”
Recent Related News:
In May 2021, Chinese Spacecraft Tianwen 1 carrying the rover Zhurong landed on Utopia Planitia region, Mars successfully. This makes China only the second country after the US to send a rover to the surface of the Red Planet.
About International Astronomical Union (IAU):
Mission – To promote & safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects, through international cooperation.
Founded – 1919
Headquarters – Paris, France
President – Ewine van Dishoeck
About China National Space Administration (CNSA):
Administrator – Zhang Kejian
Headquarter – Beijing, China
