What milestone achievements has China's Chang'e Project accomplished?

Hello! Talking about the "Chang'e Project," it's a huge source of pride for China's space program! Simply put, it's like a meticulously planned "Lunar Exploration Trilogy," divided into three major steps: "Orbiting, Landing, and Returning." Let me walk you through the remarkable achievements made at each stage.

Core Strategy: The Three-Step Plan of "Orbiting, Landing, Returning"

Think of it like our plan to explore an unknown island:

Step 1: Orbiting (Lunar Orbiting Exploration) - First, send drones to circle the island from above, thoroughly photographing its terrain, landforms, and resource distribution to create a high-definition map.
Step 2: Landing (Soft Landing and Surface Exploration) - With the map complete, select a safe, flat area for a robotic lander to touch down. The rover then moves around the island, conducting on-site surveys.
Step 3: Returning (Sample Return) - After the rover's survey identifies valuable rocks and soil, it collects samples and sends them back to Earth for scientists to study in detail.

The Chang'e Project followed this exact step-by-step approach, and each step was executed with exceptional solidity!

List of Milestone Achievements

1. Chang'e-1 (2007): The Pathfinder, Successfully "Orbiting" the Moon

Milestone: China's first lunar probe successfully entered lunar orbit.
Simply put: This was our first "long journey" to the Moon. Chang'e-1 acted like a diligent scout, orbiting the Moon for over a year and sending back China's first complete 3D map of the entire lunar surface. With this map, the Moon transformed from a distant "white jade plate" into a place with mountains, valleys, and precise locations for study. This marked the perfect completion of the first step in the "Three-Step" strategy!

2. Chang'e-3 & "Yutu" Rover (2013): A Steady "Landing"

Milestone: Achieved China's first soft landing and surface exploration on the Moon.
Simply put: Having "orbited" and familiarized ourselves with the terrain, it was time to "land." Chang'e-3, carrying the "Yutu" rover, touched down smoothly in the Moon's "Sinus Iridum" region. China became the third country, after the US and the former Soviet Union, to successfully land on the Moon! The "Yutu" rover also left China's first footprints on the lunar surface, roving around, surveying the terrain, and analyzing the composition of the lunar soil. This signified the success of the second step in the "Three-Step" plan!

3. Chang'e-4 & "Yutu-2" Rover (2019): Humanity's First, Exploring the Far Side

Milestone: The first-ever soft landing of a human-made probe on the far side of the Moon!
This is truly remarkable! The far side of the Moon, perpetually facing away from Earth, presented the biggest challenge: communication. It was like having no cell phone signal. To solve this, we first launched a relay satellite named "Queqiao" (Magpie Bridge), positioning it in a special location visible from both the far side of the Moon and Earth, acting as a "signal tower." Only then did Chang'e-4, carrying the "Yutu-2" rover, courageously land on that mysterious terrain.
Significance: This wasn't just "keeping pace"; it was "taking the lead"! We went where even the US and Russia hadn't been, unveiling the mysteries of the lunar far side for all humanity. This represents a huge contribution by China's space program to global scientific exploration.

4. Chang'e-5 (2020): Returning with Soil, Completing the "Return"

Milestone: Successfully collected samples from the Moon and returned them to Earth, bringing back 1,731 grams of lunar soil.
Simply put: This was the final battle of the "Three-Step" strategy! Chang'e-5's mission was incredibly complex, akin to a "lunar courier." It had to complete a series of highly challenging maneuvers: "Lunar landing -> Drilling/scooping samples -> Liftoff from the lunar surface -> Autonomous rendezvous and docking in lunar orbit -> Return to Earth."
Significance:
1. Perfect Conclusion: The "Orbiting, Landing, Returning" Three-Step strategy was successfully completed!
2. Technological Breakthrough: Mastered the complete set of technologies for sampling and returning from an extraterrestrial body, laying a solid foundation for future exploration of Mars and beyond.
3. Scientific Value: The returned lunar soil is the "youngest" sample humanity has obtained to date, holding immeasurable value for studying the Moon's evolutionary history. After more than 40 years, we once again brought humanity "local specialties" from the Moon.

To Summarize

The achievements of the Chang'e Project chronicle the history of China's space endeavors, evolving from catching up, to running alongside, and now leading in certain areas.

From "Orbiting", we gained our own map of the Moon.
To "Landing", we established our presence on the lunar surface.
Then to "Venturing" (Chang'e-4 venturing to the far side), we went where others hadn't.
Finally to "Returning", we brought the Moon's treasures home.

Now, Chang'e-6, -7, and -8 are also on the way, with future goals targeting the lunar south pole and even establishing a basic model of a lunar research station. Our dream of a "Moon Palace" is gradually becoming a reality!