EPN Special Compilation – The dark side of the Moon is the region called “dark” because it is not visible from the Earth because the rotation speed around the Earth and the Moon is equal, and is less known than the nearby side of the Moon. This region has inspired many conspiracy theories because it cannot be seen from Earth.
THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON AND CONSPIRACY THEORIES
The Soviet Union’s “Luna” satellite photographed the dark side of the Moon for the first time in 1959, and the Soviet Union Academy of Sciences published a detailed atlas describing the dark side of the Moon in 1960.
Astronauts who participated in the USA’s manned lunar expedition “Apollo 8” mission in 1968 were the first people to see the dark side of the Moon in person.
Conspiracy theories about the dark side of the Moon have always been a controversial issue when faced with facts that push the boundaries of science. However Many of these theories, of course, lack scientific evidence and are largely based on speculation.
For example, many theorists suggest that there are extraterrestrials and even secret military bases on the dark side of the Moon. Some theorists claim that advanced technologies and secret scientific research are being carried out on the dark side of the Moon. According to these theories, world governments are testing spacecraft and other advanced technologies on the Moon.
There are also theories claiming that there are traces of ancient structures or ancient civilizations on the dark side of the Moon. According to this theory, the structures in question may belong to extraterrestrial beings or to earlier periods of humanity.
Some more extreme theories claim that time travel experiments are carried out on the dark side of the Moon or that there are doors opening to parallel universes. These theories claim that the dark side of the Moon is not an ordinary place and hosts mysterious phenomena.
According to another theory, the Moon is not actually a natural satellite, but an artificially constructed structure, and the dark side of the Moon may contain the control centers or mechanisms of this structure.
Such conspiracy theories lack scientific evidence and are largely based on speculation. As an aside, missions to the dark side of the Moon are often seen as an important step in expanding the boundaries of science.
CHANG’I 6: CHINA’S EXPLORER LANDED ON THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON
It has been reported that the “Chang’i 6” rover, which China sent into space on May 3 to collect rock and soil samples from the dark side of the Moon, has reached the surface.
According to the statement made by the China National Space Administration, the lunar probe, which is the main part of the exploration vehicle, started to descend from orbit with the help of the lander in the morning.
The rover made a soft landing in the Apollo Bowl, a crater within the Moon’s South Pole-Aitken Basin.
After landing on the Moon, the rover will begin to dig the Moon’s surface with its probe and collect soil and rock samples with its robotic arm. Sample collection is expected to be completed in 14 hours.
Once the collected samples are sealed in the container, they will be transported from the surface to the orbiting satellite and the return shuttle via the lift vehicle. The return shuttle will then bring the samples back to Earth.
Chang’i 6 will be the first exploration mission to collect rock and soil samples from the dark surface of the Moon.
THE FIRST COUNTRY TO LAND AN EXPLORER ON THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON
Exploration missions, named after the Moon goddess “Çang’ı” in Chinese mythology, started with the “Çang’ı 1” and “Çang’ı 2” satellites sent to lunar orbit in 2007 and 2010. Exploration missions aimed at mapping the Moon were intended to prepare for a soft landing on the surface.
In the “Çang’ı 3” mission, the rover exploration vehicle called “Yütu (Jade Rabbit)” was landed on the surface of the Moon in December 2023.
China broke new ground by landing the “Yütu-2” rover rover on the dark side of the Moon in January 2019 during the “Çang’ı 4” mission.
In the “Chang 5” mission, China sent its first rover to the Moon, aiming to collect rock and soil samples. The exploration vehicle returned to Earth in December 2020 with 1.73 kilograms of rock and soil samples collected after it was launched in November 2020.
China plans to continue its exploration activities on the Moon with new missions in the coming years. In this context, after “Çang’i 6”, “Çang’ı 7” will be launched in 2026 to explore the south pole of the Moon, and “Çang’ı 7″ will be launched in 2027 to verify natural resource capacity and availability and to conduct tests for the construction of a space base on the Moon’s surface. 8” missions are planned.
The country aims to organize manned expeditions to the Moon starting from 2030 and to lay the groundwork for further exploration activities by establishing an International Lunar Research Base.
(Sources: AA, DHA)
