Beijing, January 3: In a historic first, China has successfully landed its lunar rover on the far side of the moon, Chinese state media announced Thursday. According to China Central Television (CCTV), China's National Space Administration (CNSA) landed the Chang'e 4 lunar probe rover at 10:26 am (local time).

According to Chinese media, after a successful landing, the rover sent back the world's first close-range picture of the far side of the moon. China launched the Chang'e 4 from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province on December 8. The spacecraft entered the moon's orbit four days later, local media reported.

The far side of the moon is often referred to as the 'dark side of the moon' because that never faces earth, due to the moon's rotation. The rover is expected to conduct first lunar low-frequency radio astronomy experiment, observe whether plants will grow in the low-gravity environment and explore whether there is water or other resources at the poles, CNN reported.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 03, 2019 10:21 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).