CINXE.COM

<!doctype html> <html class="no-js" lang="en"> <head> <base href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/"> <script src="//archive.org/includes/athena.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript">window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',function(){var v=archive_analytics.values;v.service='wb';v.server_name='wwwb-app200.us.archive.org';v.server_ms=687;archive_analytics.send_pageview({});});</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=HxkREWBo" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/","20190410131643","https://web.archive.org/","web","/_static/", "1554902203"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt"> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv">  <style>.async-hide { opacity: 0 !important } </style> <script>(function (a, s, y, n, c, h, i, d, e) { s.className += ' ' + y; h.start = 1 * new Date; h.end = i = function () { s.className = s.className.replace(RegExp(' ?' + y), '') }; (a[n] = a[n] || []).hide = h; setTimeout(function () { i(); h.end = null }, c); h.timeout = c; })(window, document.documentElement, 'async-hide', 'dataLayer', 4000, {'GTM-TLLWQNT': true});</script>  <script> var _comscore = _comscore || []; _comscore.push({ c1: "2", c2: "7741285", c3:"", c4:"www.airspacemag.com", c5:"", c6:"", c15:"" }); (function() { var s = document.createElement("script"), el = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.async = true; s.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js"; el.parentNode.insertBefore(s, el); })(); </script>  <script> function tagLinkEvent (name) { dataLayer.push({'event': name}); } </script> <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= '//web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-P2QLS3');</script> <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1"> <meta name="google-site-verification" content="h08eCexg5416hEJgYvjxwSi8Si0z4p4y6PtDmlZop9s"> <title> China’s Moon Missions Are Anything But Pointless | Daily Planet | Air & Space Magazine</title> <meta name="robots" content="index,noodp,follow,archive"> <meta name="keywords" content=" Chinese Space Program, Lunar Exploration, Once and Future Moon "> <meta name="description" content=" The value of the nation’s lunar robotic missions goes beyond science."> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> <meta name="category" content="Articles, Daily Planet, Space"> <meta name="author" content="Paul D. Spudis"> <meta name="news_keywords" content="Chinese Space Program, Lunar Exploration, Once and Future Moon"> <link rel="canonical" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/"> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@airspacemag"> <meta name="twitter:creator" content="@"> <meta name="twitter:title" content="China’s Moon Missions Are Anything But Pointless"> <meta name="twitter:description" content="The value of the nation’s lunar robotic missions goes beyond science."> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/46vU-iuZFXhnOMjmbARW-mPLmX0=/800x600/filters:no_upscale()/https://public-media.si-cdn.com/filer/f9/93/f9932733-0c32-4367-807f-a1c0e6413e40/lander_1jpg.jpeg"> <link rel="image_src" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/46vU-iuZFXhnOMjmbARW-mPLmX0=/800x600/filters:no_upscale()/https://public-media.si-cdn.com/filer/f9/93/f9932733-0c32-4367-807f-a1c0e6413e40/lander_1jpg.jpeg"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/Rj7gIGFKilMpYH5GDl51Bpb6KZI=/fit-in/1600x0/https://public-media.si-cdn.com/filer/f9/93/f9932733-0c32-4367-807f-a1c0e6413e40/lander_1jpg.jpeg"> <meta property="og:image:alt" content="The Chang’E-3 lander spacecraft on the Moon. The two upcoming lunar missions will probably use landers similar to this one."> <meta property="og:title" content="China’s Moon Missions Are Anything But Pointless"> <meta property="og:url" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/"> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Air & Space Magazine"> <meta property="og:type" content="article"> <meta property="og:description" content="The value of the nation’s lunar robotic missions goes beyond science."> <meta property="article:section" content="Articles, Daily Planet, Space"> <meta property="article:tag" content="Chinese Space Program, Lunar Exploration, Once and Future Moon"> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/http://schema.org", "@type": "NewsArticle", "mainEntityOfPage": "https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/", "headline": "China’s Moon Missions Are Anything But Pointless", "description": "The value of the nation’s lunar robotic missions goes beyond science.", "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/", "speakable": { "@type": "SpeakableSpecification", "xpath": [ "/html/head/title", "/html/head/meta[@name='description']/@content" ] }, "datePublished": "2017-01-03T11:10:57-05:00", "dateModified": "2017-01-03T11:10:57-05:00", "image": { "@type":"ImageObject", "url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/8czMED6oyCdPTcZjpJXvknZfMxg=/1072x720/filters:no_upscale()/https://public-media.si-cdn.com/filer/f9/93/f9932733-0c32-4367-807f-a1c0e6413e40/lander_1jpg.jpeg", "width":1072, "height":720 }, "articleSection": "Daily Planet", "thumbnailUrl": "https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/8czMED6oyCdPTcZjpJXvknZfMxg=/1072x720/filters:no_upscale()/https://public-media.si-cdn.com/filer/f9/93/f9932733-0c32-4367-807f-a1c0e6413e40/lander_1jpg.jpeg", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul D. Spudis" }, "creator": ["Paul D. Spudis"], "keywords": ["Articles", "Daily Planet", "Space", "Chinese Space Program", "Lunar Exploration", "Once and Future Moon"], "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Air & Space Magazine", "logo": { "@type":"ImageObject", "url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/img/wwwairspacemagcom-markup-logo.png", "width":360, "height":60 } } } </script> <script type="application/json"> { "articleID": "180961633", "articleSource": "airspacemag.com", "articleType": "Article", "premium": "0", "metered": "0", "articlePage": "1" } </script> <link href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643cs_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/css/screen.css" media="screen, projection" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"> <link href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643cs_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/css/print.css" media="print" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/img/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/img/icons/Air-Space-magazine-Icon-60.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="76x76" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/img/icons/Air-Space-magazine-Icon-76.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="120x120" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/img/icons/Air-Space-magazine-Icon-120.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="152x152" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/img/icons/Air-Space-magazine-Icon-152.png"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643cs_/https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/4.4.0/css/font-awesome.min.css"> <meta name="google-site-verification" content="Q5AL7dOY34MIwX5dwOywtFwg-VyuwD20ubnHlgiFZEk"> <link href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643cs_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/css/airspace.css" media="screen, projection" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/ads/googletag.js"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/dist/js/core.min.js"> </script> <script> window.STATIC_URL = 'https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/'; window.STATIC_VERSION = '1'; window.MOST_POPULAR_DOMAIN = 'www.airspacemag.com'; window.MOST_POPULAR_REMOVE = '| Air & Space Magazine'; </script> <script> // Google tag global settings window.GPT = { SITE: 'production', ACCOUNT: '/308522/airandspacemagazine.tmus' } </script> <script> (function() { if (!window.GPT) { return; } if (document.referrer) { var referrerMatch = document.referrer.match(/^https?:\/\/(?:[^@\/\n]+@)?(?:www\.)?([^:\/\n]+)/); if (referrerMatch) { window.GPT.referrer = referrerMatch[1]; } } if (document.referrer || window.history.length > 2) { window.GPT.initialSessionPage = false; } else { window.GPT.initialSessionPage = true; } /* Google referrer check */ if (document.referrer.match('google')) { if (window.GPT.tag) { window.GPT.tag.push('popupblock'); } else { window.GPT.tag = ['popupblock']; } } })(); </script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/dist/js/adv.min.js"></script> <script> // STATIC_URL window.$smith = window.$smith ? window.$smith : {}; window.$smith.STATIC_URL = 'https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/'; window.$smith.LOGO_URL = 'https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/img/airspace-logo.svg'; </script> <script> window.GPT.path = '/308522/airandspacemagazine.tmus/daily-planet'; window.GPT.SFP = 'b26b1710'; window.GPT.cats = JSON.parse('["articles", "daily-planet", "space"]'); window.GPT.tag = JSON.parse('["chinese-space-program", "lunar-exploration", "once-and-future-moon"]'); window.GPT.specials = JSON.parse('[]'); window.GPT.slug = 'chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633'; window.GPT.contenttype = 'article'; </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="//web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://native.sharethrough.com/assets/tag.js"></script> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.defineOutOfPageSlot(GPT.path, 'div-gpt-ad-chuckweasley-outofpage') .setTargeting('pos', 'top') .setTargeting('site', GPT.SITE) .setTargeting('cat', GPT.cats) .setTargeting('tag', GPT.tag) .setTargeting('type', GPT.type) .setTargeting('special', GPT.specials) .setTargeting('slug', GPT.slug) .setTargeting('contenttype', GPT.contenttype) .setTargeting('contest', GPT.contest) .setTargeting('camera', GPT.camera) .setTargeting('awards', GPT.awards) .setTargeting('initialSessionPage', GPT.initialSessionPage) .addService(googletag.pubads()); //googletag.enableServices(); }); </script> <meta name="com.silverpop.brandeddomains" content="www.pages03.net,airspacemag.com,si.mkt6346.com,smithsonian.com,smithsonianmag.com"> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://www.sc.pages03.net/lp/static/js/iMAWebCookie.js?1d10bc16-14374088980-b9e6bcd68d4fb511170ab3fcff55179d&h=www.pages03.net" type="text/javascript"></script>  <link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" title="Smithsonian Air & Space" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/xml/opensearch/airspace_opensearch.xml">  <link href="//web.archive.org/web/20190410131643cs_/https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/4.2.0/css/font-awesome.min.css" rel="stylesheet">  <link href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643cs_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/plugins/Pikaday-master/css/pikaday.css" rel="stylesheet">  <script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.async = true; s.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://s' : 'http://i') + '.po.st/static/v4/post-widget.js#publisherKey=rp0i3la0hlhnikg0us6o'; var x = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; x.parentNode.insertBefore(s, x); })(); </script>  <script type="text/javascript"> var _qevents = _qevents || []; (function() { var elem = document.createElement('script'); elem.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://secure" : "https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/http://edge") + ".quantserve.com/quant.js"; elem.async = true; elem.type = "text/javascript"; var scpt = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; scpt.parentNode.insertBefore(elem, scpt); })(); </script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/airspace/js/script.js"></script> <meta http-equiv="X-Translated-By" content="Google"> <meta http-equiv="X-Translated-To" content="en"> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://www.gstatic.com/_/translate_http/_/js/k=translate_http.tr.en_GB.omlEigW4xY8.O/am=DgY/d=1/rs=AN8SPfpjsL9kUWY0h-sp7Ilu7hZWGwEmeg/m=corsproxy" data-sourceurl="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/"></script> <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Material+Symbols+Outlined:opsz,wght,FILL,GRAD@20..48,100..700,0..1,-50..200" rel="stylesheet"> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://www.gstatic.com/_/translate_http/_/js/k=translate_http.tr.en_GB.omlEigW4xY8.O/am=DgY/d=1/exm=corsproxy/ed=1/rs=AN8SPfpjsL9kUWY0h-sp7Ilu7hZWGwEmeg/m=phishing_protection" data-phishing-protection-enabled="false" data-forms-warning-enabled="true" data-source-url="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/"></script> <meta name="robots" content="none"> </head> <body class="wwwairspacemagcom article"> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://www.gstatic.com/_/translate_http/_/js/k=translate_http.tr.en_GB.omlEigW4xY8.O/am=DgY/d=1/exm=corsproxy,phishing_protection/ed=1/rs=AN8SPfpjsL9kUWY0h-sp7Ilu7hZWGwEmeg/m=navigationui" data-environment="prod" data-proxy-url="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog" data-proxy-full-url="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" data-source-url="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/" data-source-language="auto" data-target-language="en" data-display-language="en-GB" data-detected-source-language="en" data-is-source-untranslated="false" data-source-untranslated-url="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/&anno=2" data-client="tr"></script> <script>__wm.rw(0);</script> <div id="wm-ipp-base" lang="en" style="display:none;direction:ltr;"> <div id="wm-ipp" style="position:fixed;left:0;top:0;right:0;"> <div id="donato" style="position:relative;width:100%;"> <div id="donato-base"><iframe id="donato-if" src="https://archive.org/includes/donate.php?as_page=1&platform=wb&referer=https%3A//web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https%3A//www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width:100%; height:100%"> </iframe> </div> </div> <div id="wm-ipp-inside"> <div id="wm-toolbar" style="position:relative;display:flex;flex-flow:row nowrap;justify-content:space-between;"> <div id="wm-logo" style="/*width:110px;*/padding-top:12px;"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" title="Wayback Machine home page"><img src="/_static/images/toolbar/wayback-toolbar-logo-200.png" srcset="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/_static/images/toolbar/wayback-toolbar-logo-100.png?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB,https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/_static/images/toolbar/wayback-toolbar-logo-150.png?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB 1.5x,https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/_static/images/toolbar/wayback-toolbar-logo-200.png?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB 2x" alt="Wayback Machine" style="width:100px" border="0"></a> </div> <div class="c" style="display:flex;flex-flow:column nowrap;justify-content:space-between;flex:1;"> <form class="u" style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:nowrap;" target="_top" method="get" action="/web/submit" name="wmtb" id="wmtb"> <input type="text" name="url" id="wmtbURL" value="https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/" onfocus="this.focus();this.select();" style="flex:1;"><input type="hidden" name="type" value="replay"><input type="hidden" name="date" value="20190410131643"><input type="submit" value="Go"> </form> <div style="display:flex;flex-flow:row nowrap;align-items:flex-end;"> <div class="s" id="wm-nav-captures" style="flex:1;"><a class="t" href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643*/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" title="See a list of every capture for this URL">44 captures</a> <div class="r" title="Timespan for captures of this URL"> 18 May 2017 - 01 Jun 2024 </div> </div> <div class="k"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" id="wm-graph-anchor"> <div id="wm-ipp-sparkline" title="Explore captures for this URL" style="position: relative"> <canvas id="wm-sparkline-canvas" width="725" height="27" border="0"></canvas> </div></a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="n"> <table> <tbody> <tr class="m"> <td class="b" nowrap><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20181124145751/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" title="24 Nov 2018"><strong>Nov</strong></a></td> <td class="c" id="displayMonthEl" title="You are here: 13:16:43 Apr 10, 2019">APR</td> <td class="f" nowrap><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190922222148/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" title="22 Sep 2019"><strong>Sep</strong></a></td> </tr> <tr class="d"> <td class="b" nowrap><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20181124145751/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" title="14:57:51 Nov 24, 2018"><img src="/_static/images/toolbar/wm_tb_prv_on.png" alt="Previous capture" width="14" height="16" border="0"></a></td> <td class="c" id="displayDayEl" style="width:34px;font-size:22px;white-space:nowrap;" title="You are here: 13:16:43 Apr 10, 2019">10</td> <td class="f" nowrap><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190922222148/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" title="22:21:48 Sep 22, 2019"><img src="/_static/images/toolbar/wm_tb_nxt_on.png" alt="Next capture" width="14" height="16" border="0"></a></td> </tr> <tr class="y"> <td class="b" nowrap><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20180310010402/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" title="10 Mar 2018"><strong>2018</strong></a></td> <td class="c" id="displayYearEl" title="You are here: 13:16:43 Apr 10, 2019">2019</td> <td class="f" nowrap><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20200727193055/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" title="27 Jul 2020"><strong>2020</strong></a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <div class="r" style="display:flex;flex-flow:column nowrap;align-items:flex-end;justify-content:space-between;"> <div id="wm-btns" style="text-align:right;height:23px;"><span class="xxs"> <div id="wm-save-snapshot-success"> success </div> <div id="wm-save-snapshot-fail"> fail </div><a id="wm-save-snapshot-open" href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB#" title="Share via My Web Archive"> <span class="iconochive-web"></span> </a> <a href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=https://archive.org/account/login.php" title="Sign In" id="wm-sign-in"> <span class="iconochive-person"></span> </a> <span id="wm-save-snapshot-in-progress" class="iconochive-web"></span> </span> <a class="xxs" href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=http://faq.web.archive.org/" title="Get some help using the Wayback Machine" style="top:-6px;"><span class="iconochive-question" style="color:rgb(87,186,244);font-size:160%;"></span></a> <a id="wm-tb-close" href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB#close" style="top:-2px;" title="Close the toolbar"><span class="iconochive-remove-circle" style="color:#888888;font-size:240%;"></span></a> </div> <div id="wm-share" class="xxs"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://web.archive.org/screenshot/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" id="wm-screenshot" title="screenshot"> <span class="wm-icon-screen-shot"></span> </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB#" id="wm-video" title="video"> <span class="iconochive-movies"></span> </a> <a id="wm-share-facebook" href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB#" data-url="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/" title="Share on Facebook" style="margin-right:5px;" target="_blank"><span class="iconochive-facebook" style="color:#3b5998;font-size:160%;"></span></a> <a id="wm-share-twitter" href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB#" data-url="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/" title="Share on Twitter" style="margin-right:5px;" target="_blank"><span class="iconochive-twitter" style="color:#1dcaff;font-size:160%;"></span></a> </div> <div style="padding-right:2px;text-align:right;white-space:nowrap;"><a id="wm-expand" class="wm-btn wm-closed" href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB#expand"><span id="wm-expand-icon" class="iconochive-down-solid"></span> <span class="xxs" style="font-size:80%;">About this capture</span></a> </div> </div> </div> <div id="wm-capinfo" style="border-top:1px solid #777;display:none; overflow: hidden"> <div id="wm-capinfo-notice" source="api"></div> <div id="wm-capinfo-collected-by"> <div style="background-color:#666;color:#fff;font-weight:bold;text-align:center"> COLLECTED BY </div> <div style="padding:3px;position:relative" id="wm-collected-by-content"> <div style="display:inline-block;vertical-align:top;width:50%;"><span class="c-logo" style="background-image:url(https://archive.org/services/img/ArchiveIt-Partner-660);"></span> Organization: <a style="color:#33f;" href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=https://archive.org/details/ArchiveIt-Partner-660" target="_new"><span class="wm-title">Smithsonian Institution</span></a> <div style="max-height:75px;overflow:hidden;position:relative;"> <div style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:75px;background:linear-gradient(to bottom,rgba(255,255,255,0) 0%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 90%,rgba(255,255,255,255) 100%);"></div> Smithsonian Institution<br><br> Archive-It Partner Since: Sep, 2012<br> Organization Type: Museums & Art Libraries<br> Organization URL:<a href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=http://si.edu">http://si.edu</a><br><br> </div> </div> <div style="display:inline-block;vertical-align:top;width:49%;"><span class="c-logo" style="background-image:url(https://archive.org/services/img/ArchiveIt-Collection-3348)"></span> <div> Collection: <a style="color:#33f;" href="https://translate.google.com/website?sl=auto&tl=en&hl=en-GB&u=https://archive.org/details/ArchiveIt-Collection-3348" target="_new"><span class="wm-title">Smithsonian Institution Special </span></a> </div> <div style="max-height:75px;overflow:hidden;position:relative;"> <div style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:75px;background:linear-gradient(to bottom,rgba(255,255,255,0) 0%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 90%,rgba(255,255,255,255) 100%);"></div> Smithsonian Institution websites marking anniversaries or events </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="wm-capinfo-timestamps"> <div style="background-color:#666;color:#fff;font-weight:bold;text-align:center" title="Timestamps for the elements of this page"> TIMESTAMPS </div> <div> <div id="wm-capresources" style="margin:0 5px 5px 5px;max-height:250px;overflow-y:scroll !important"></div> <div id="wm-capresources-loading" style="text-align:left;margin:0 20px 5px 5px;display:none"> <img src="/_static/images/loading.gif" alt="loading"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="wm-ipp-print"> The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/ </div> <script type="text/javascript">//<![CDATA[ __wm.bt(725,27,25,2,"web","https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/","20190410131643",1996,"/_static/",["/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt","/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv"], false); __wm.rw(1); //]]></script>  <noscript><iframe src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643if_/https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-M6LKQZ" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe> </noscript>  <div id="fb-root"></div> <script> window.fbAsyncInit = function () { FB.init({ appId: '241090599274511', autoLogAppEvents: true, xfbml: true, version: 'v2.9' }); FB.AppEvents.logPageView(); }; (function (d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) { return; } js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); </script> <a name="top"></a> <nav class="jump-nav"> <h2>Accessibility Navigation</h2><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB#Primary-Navigation">Primary Navigation</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB#Page-Content">Content</a> </nav> <div class="header-wrapper wrapper"> <div id="header-new" class="header-ab-test" data-ab="header-20160624"> <header class="site-header"><a class="toggle" href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB#left"><i class="icon icon-large icon-reorder"><span class="outofsight">Toggle</span></i></a> <a class="share" href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB#share"><i class="icon icon-large icon-share"><span class="outofsight">Share</span></i></a>  <i class="fa fa-search mobile-search-icon"><span class="outofsight">Search</span></i> <i class="fa fa-times mobile-search-close"><span class="outofsight">Search Close</span></i> <div id="mobile-search"> <form method="GET" action="." data-suggest-url="/search/suggest/" class="search-form with-suggest"><label for="id_q"><span class="outofsight">Search</span> <input placeholder="Search" id="id_q" name="q" type="text" class="tt-query" autocomplete="off" spellcheck="false" dir="auto" style="position: relative; vertical-align: top; background-color: transparent;"> </label> <button type="submit" class="btn-primary" onclick="mobileSearchURL()">Search</button> </form> </div>  <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://subscribe.airspacemag.com/airspace.php?idx=263&inetz=mobile-header-subscribe&ipromo=%7Cperm%7Csub%7Ctext%7Cmobile-header%7C%7Cred%7Cbutton%7C&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="magazine-mobile-subscribe"> <div class="btn btn-primary magazine-mobile-signup-form-subscribe-button"> Subscribe </div></a> <div class="nav-subscribe-box no-cover"> <div class="nav-subscribe-list"> <div class="nav-subscribe-option"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://subscribe.airspacemag.com/airspace.php?idx=263&inetz=header-L&ipromo=%7Cperm%7Csub%7C%7Cheader%7C%7C%7C%7CCTRL&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="omz-header-right-subscribe">SUBSCRIBE</a> </div> <div class="nav-subscribe-option"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://asp.pcdfusion.com/pcd/Order?pId=13912&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="omz-header-right-renew">RENEW</a> </div> <div class="nav-subscribe-option"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://subscribe.airspacemag.com/airspace_gift.php?idx=172&inetz=header-L&ipromo=%7Cperm%7Cgift%7C%7Cheader%7C%7C%7C%7CCTRL&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="omz-header-right-gift">GIVE A GIFT</a> </div> </div> <div class="nav-current-issue"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://subscribe.airspacemag.com/airspace.php?idx=240&inetz=header-2-C&ipromo=%7Cperm%7Csub%7C47pct%7Cheader%7CJan-14%7Cred%7C80x105%7Cprice-ctrl&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="omz-header-right-subscribe-image"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/EW2p2gtjbITqUgaou3_YbXG1HNw=/fit-in/192x256/filters:no_upscale()/https://public-media.si-cdn.com/filer/b9/d5/b9d50049-3d49-488c-9826-5c8c6de75583/am2019_as_web_cover.jpg" alt="April/May 2019 magazine cover" id="subscribe-dropdown-cover-art" class="cover" style="border-left: 1px solid #000; border-right: 1px solid #000;"></a> </div> </div> <div class="logo-wrapper"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="logo"><span class="outofsight">Air & Space Magazine</span></a> </div> <div class="aux-nav"> <nav class="social-nav"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.facebook.com/AirSpaceMag?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" rel="facebook"> <i class="icon icon-large icon-facebook" title="Facebook"><span class="outofsight">Facebook</span></i> </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://twitter.com/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB#!/airspacemag" rel="twitter"> <i class="icon icon-large icon-twitter" title="Twitter"><span class="outofsight">Twitter</span></i> </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://instagram.com/airspacemag?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" rel="instagram"> <i class="fa fa-instagram" title="Instagram"><span class="outofsight">Instagram</span></i> </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://plus.google.com/116602523162239426012?prsrc=3&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" rel="googleplus"> <i class="icon icon-large icon-google-plus" title="Google+"><span class="outofsight">Google+</span></i> </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/newsletters/subscribe/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" rel="newsletter"> <i class="fa fa-envelope" title="newsletter"><span class="outofsight">Newsletter</span></i> </a> </nav> <form method="get" action="/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/search/" id="Search-Box" class="search-box"> <fieldset><legend class="outofsight">Search</legend> <button type="submit">Search</button> <label for="nav-search"><span class="outofsight">Search</span></label> <input placeholder="search" id="nav-search" class="tt-query"> <a class="search-trigger" href="javascript:;?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" onclick="navSearchURL()"> <i class="icon icon-large icon-search" title="Start a Search"><span class="outofsight">Search</span></i> </a> </fieldset> </form> </div> </header> <div class="nav-wrapper-bg"> <div class="nav-wrapper"> <nav class="primary-nav nav" id="Primary-Navigation"> <div class="nav-btn-item"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true"> Homepage </a> </div> <div class="nav-btn-item selected"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn" data-exempt="true"> Daily Planet </a> </div> <div class="nav-btn-item"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true"> Flight Today </a> </div> <div class="nav-btn-item"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/space-exploration/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true"> Space </a> </div> <div class="nav-btn-item"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true"> Military </a> </div> <div class="nav-btn-item"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true"> History of Flight </a> </div> <div class="nav-btn-item"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/interviews/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true"> Interviews </a> </div> <div class="nav-btn-item"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/photos/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true"> Photos </a> </div> <div class="nav-btn-item last"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/videos/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true"> Videos </a> </div> <div class="nav-btn-item last"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/virtual-space/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true"> Virtual Space </a> </div> <div class="nav-btn-item subscribe-nav-link"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://subscribe.airspacemag.com/airspace.php?idx=263&inetz=top-nav-R&ipromo=%7Cperm%7Csub%7C%7Ctext%7C%7C%7C%7CCTRL&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn-item subscribe external-nav-link omz-sticky-subscribe" id="subscribe-trigger">Subscribe</a> <div class="subscribe-menu"> <div class="current-issue"> <h6 class="headline">Current Issue</h6><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://subscribe.airspacemag.com/airspace.php?idx=263&inetz=dropdown-cover-R&ipromo=%7Cperm%7Csub%7C%7Cdropdown%7C%7Ccover%7C%7CCTRL&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="omz-thumb-subscribe" id="www-top-rollover-thumb" data-reportevent="true"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/EW2p2gtjbITqUgaou3_YbXG1HNw=/fit-in/192x256/filters:no_upscale()/https://public-media.si-cdn.com/filer/b9/d5/b9d50049-3d49-488c-9826-5c8c6de75583/am2019_as_web_cover.jpg" alt="April/May 2019 magazine cover" id="www-header-dropdown-art" class="cover"></a> </div> <section class="offer-options"> <h5 class="headline">Subscribe</h5> <p class="deal-info">Save 55% off the cover price!</p> <ul class="subscribe-options"> <li><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://subscribe.airspacemag.com/airspace.php?idx=263&inetz=dropdown-R&ipromo=%7Cperm%7Csub%7C%7Cdropdown%7C%7C%7C%7CCTRL&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="omz-dropdown-subscribe" id="www-top-rollover-new">Subscribe</a></li> <li><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://asp.pcdfusion.com/pcd/Order?pId=13912&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="omz-dropdown-renew" id="www-top-rollover-renew">Renew</a></li> <li><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://subscribe.airspacemag.com/airspace_gift.php?idx=172&inetz=dropdown-R&ipromo=%7Cperm%7Cgift%7C%7Cdropdown%7C%7C%7C%7CCTRL&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="omz-dropdown-gift" id="www-top-rollover-gift">Give a Gift</a></li> </ul> </section> </div> </div> <div class="nav-btn-item shop-nav-link"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.smithsonianstore.com/category/museum+stores/air+%26+space.do?code=H9IBSMAD&utm_source=Airspacemag.com&utm_medium=module&utm_campaign=topdropdown&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn-item shop external-nav-link" id="shop-trigger">Shop</a> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="sub-header-shop" id="shop"></div> </div> <div id="Scroll-Nav" class="scroll-nav-wrapper"> <div class="scroll-nav"><span class="logo-wrap"> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="logo">Air & Space Magazine</a> </span> <nav class="primary-nav nav"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://subscribe.airspacemag.com/airspace.php?idx=263&inetz=sticky-top-nav-L-C&ipromo=%7Cperm%7Csub%7C47pct%7Ctext%7C%7Cred%7C%7Cprice-ctrl&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn-item subscribe external-nav-link omz-scroll-subscribe" id="sticky-subscribe-nav-link">Subscribe</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn" data-exempt="true"> Homepage </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn" data-exempt="true"> Daily Planet </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn" data-exempt="true"> Flight Today </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/space-exploration/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn" data-exempt="true"> Space </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn" data-exempt="true"> Military </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn" data-exempt="true"> History of Flight </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/interviews/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn flip" data-exempt="true"> Interviews </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/photos/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn hidden" data-exempt="true"> Photos </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/videos/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn hidden" data-exempt="true"> Videos </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/virtual-space/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn hidden" data-exempt="true"> Virtual Space </a> <div class="more nav-btn-item"><a class="nav-btn more"> <i class="icon-plus"><span class="outofsight">+</span></i> </a> <div class="sub-menu"><a class="nav-btn" href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/photos/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">Photos</a> <a class="nav-btn" href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/videos/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">Videos</a> </div> </div><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.smithsonianstore.com/category/museum+stores/air+%26+space.do?code=H9IBSMAD&utm_source=Airspacemag.com&utm_medium=module&utm_campaign=topdropdown&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn-item shop external-nav-link">Shop</a> </nav> <div class="scroll-nav-social"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://www.airspacemag.com/search/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB"> <div class="scroll-nav-search"><i class="fa fa-search"><span class="outofsight">Search</span></i> </div></a> <div class="scroll-nav-social-item"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.facebook.com/AirSpaceMag?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" rel="facebook"> <i class="icon icon-large icon-facebook" title="Facebook"><span class="outofsight">Facebook</span></i> </a> </div> <div class="scroll-nav-social-item"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://twitter.com/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB#!/airspacemag" rel="twitter"> <i class="icon icon-large icon-twitter" title="Twitter"><span class="outofsight">Twitter</span></i> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="sub-header-wrapper"> <div class="sub-header"> <nav class="secondary-nav nav" id="Secondary-Navigation" role="navigation"> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="header-ad-wrapper"> <div id="ATF_728x90_970x250_970x90" class="cbv-ad" style=""> <div id="div-gpt-ad-chuckweasley-1" class="ad-slot" data-ad-settings="desktopMain"></div> </div> </div> <div class="container"> <div class="side-nav"> <nav class="side-primary-nav nav"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://subscribe.airspacemag.com/airspace.php?idx=263&inetz=mobile-header-subscribe-red&ipromo=%7Cperm%7Csub%7C47pct%7Cmobile-header%7C%7Cred%7C%7C&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" id="mobile-subscribe-side-menu" class="nav-btn" title="Subscribe" style="background: #ff0202;">Subscribe</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://www.smithsonianstore.com/?sourceCode=MAGAD12&utm_source=Smithsonianmag.com&utm_medium=module&utm_campaign=topdropdown&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" class="nav-btn" title="Shop">Shop</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://www.smithsonianjourneys.org/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Travel With Us" class="nav-btn">Travel With Us</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true">Homepage</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn selected" data-exempt="true">Daily Planet</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true">Flight Today</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/space-exploration/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true">Space</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true">Military</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true">History of Flight</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/interviews/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true">Interviews</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/photos/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true">Photos</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/videos/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true">Videos</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/virtual-space/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true">Virtual Space</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/issue/aprilmay-2019/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn">Magazine</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/newsletters/subscribe/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn" rel="newsletter">Newsletters</a> </nav> <nav class="side-footer-nav nav"> <h5 class="nav-title">AirSpaceMag.com</h5><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/contact-us/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn" title="Contact">Contact</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/about/privacy/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn" title="Privacy Policy">Privacy Policy</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.si.edu/termsofuse?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" target="_blank" title="Terms of Use" class="nav-btn">Terms of Use</a> </nav> </div> <div class="hero" id="Hero"> </div> <div class="main-wrapper" id="Page-Content" role="main"> <div id="ATF_320x50_300x50_300x250" class="cbv-ad" style=""> <div id="div-gpt-ad-chuckweasley-mobile-1" class="ad-slot ad-mobile" data-ad-settings="mobileMain"></div> </div> <main class="main"> <header class="article-header"> <figure class="article-image"> </figure> <h1 class="headline" itemprop="name">China’s Moon Missions Are Anything But Pointless</h1> <h2 class="subtitle">The value of the nation’s lunar robotic missions goes beyond science.</h2> <figure class="article-image"> <span data-picture data-alt="lander 1.jpg.jpeg"><span data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/fZFmqvmL6pRwhmspVGSi1P3BCqU=/420x240/https://public-media.si-cdn.com/filer/f9/93/f9932733-0c32-4367-807f-a1c0e6413e40/lander_1jpg.jpeg"></span><span data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/R1lqO-_kwElb7fB4AVwsnMR4hd8=/720x420/https://public-media.si-cdn.com/filer/f9/93/f9932733-0c32-4367-807f-a1c0e6413e40/lander_1jpg.jpeg" data-media="(min-width: 480px)"></span><span data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/46vU-iuZFXhnOMjmbARW-mPLmX0=/800x600/filters:no_upscale()/https://public-media.si-cdn.com/filer/f9/93/f9932733-0c32-4367-807f-a1c0e6413e40/lander_1jpg.jpeg" data-media="(min-width: 600px)"></span> <noscript> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/46vU-iuZFXhnOMjmbARW-mPLmX0=/800x600/filters:no_upscale()/https://public-media.si-cdn.com/filer/f9/93/f9932733-0c32-4367-807f-a1c0e6413e40/lander_1jpg.jpeg" alt="lander 1.jpg.jpeg" itemprop="image"> </noscript></span> <figcaption class="caption" style="max-width: 900px;"> The Chang’E-3 lander spacecraft on the Moon. The two upcoming lunar missions will probably use landers similar to this one. <span class="credits">(China News Agency)</span> </figcaption> </figure> <div class="article-line"> <div class="articleline"> <div class="by-line"> By <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/author/paul-d-spudis/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="author-name" itemprop="author" id="GTM-Paul-D.-Spudis"> Paul D. Spudis </a> </div> <div class="edition"><span class="pub-edition"> airspacemag.com <br></span> <time class="pub-date" itemprop="published" data-pubdate="Jan. 3, 2017, 11:10 a.m.">January 3, 2017</time> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="pw-server-widget" data-id="wid-evaehsnr" data-title="China’s Moon missions are anything but pointless." data-via="airspacemag"></div> <script type="text/javascript"> var pwidget_config = { mobileOverlay: true, i18n: { readMore: '<br/><br/>Read more: {link}<br/>Save 47% when you subscribe to Air & Space magazine http://bit.ly/NaSX4X<br/>Follow us: @AirSpaceMag on Twitter' } }; </script> <div class="article-body pagination-first"> <p>At the end of 2016, <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://tinyurl.com/hbv96gd?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" target="_blank">China released a paper</a> describing the nation’s very successful year in space, including an outline of their upcoming and future plans and intentions. Though well underway, China’s space accomplishments and stated plans continue to fly over the heads of many who continue to dismissively <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.inverse.com/article/25693-china-probe-moon-2018-mars-2020?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" target="_blank">call Chinese lunar efforts “pointless.”</a> While China continues to collect data from their 2013 <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://tinyurl.com/c12g24o?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" target="_blank">Chang’E 3 lunar lander</a>, this new report discusses two new Chang’E missions to the Moon—a lander/rover to be sent to the far side and another lander to collect samples of the lunar surface’s near side.</p> <div class="associated-container"> </div> <p></p> <p>Why does China see value in a mission to the far side of the Moon? And why seek and return lunar samples when there are already ~380 kilograms of lunar material returned by the Apollo and Luna missions (not to mention an additional ~140 kg of meteorites of lunar origin)? China’s lunar exploration program serves many objectives—only some are scientific. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) runs China’s space program and science is secondary to other goals of their missions. So a better question to ask is, what purpose do these missions serve from a national strategic perspective?</p> <p></p> <p>In the last decade, China has conducted a series of space missions designed to demonstrate and master freedom of access and movement throughout the volume of space between Earth and Moon (known as <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://www.cislunarnext.org/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" target="_blank">cislunar space</a>). This region is home to many different classes of satellites, particularly in the high orbits of MEO (e.g., the GPS constellation) and GEO (e.g., communications and broadcasting, and weather observations). These vital space assets are worth billions of dollars and are difficult to replace, requiring long lead times to design, fabricate and launch replacements if one goes bad or is disabled. In addition to all the commercial assets, our national defense and that of our allies is critically dependent upon satellites in all regions of cislunar space—from low Earth orbit to highly elliptical orbits with apogees beyond GEO. Satellites residing in these higher orbits are difficult to reach with launches from Earth, but relatively easy to approach at distances from Earth using assets positioned in various locations throughout cislunar space.</p> <p></p> <p>China’s robotic lunar program provides a case study in how to systematically acquire routine cislunar capability. Their initial missions, orbiters <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://tinyurl.com/pfge7kw?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" target="_blank">Chang’E-1 and Chang’E -2</a>, were designed to globally map the Moon and collect scientific information. These missions have taught China’s engineers how to operate and maneuver spacecraft in deep space (lunar distances) and conduct routine and specialized in-space operations. As I have <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://tinyurl.com/kp6jffg?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" target="_blank">written previously</a>, the flight of Chang’E-2 was particularly instructive as to their intentions: After mapping the Moon for a year, the spacecraft flew to Earth-Moon L-2, a point 60,000 kilometers above the center of the far side of the Moon (significant to China’s future lunar missions). Loitering at this locality for eight months, Chang’E-2 was then sent on a flyby of the Moon and then on to fly by the near-Earth asteroid Toutatis. Thus, in one mission, China demonstrated and practiced presence, proximity operations, loiter and interception, all critical skills for the military use of space.</p> <p></p> <p>China’s <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://tinyurl.com/hbv96gd?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" target="_blank">Chang’E-4 mission</a>, scheduled to launch in 2018 (their 2017 mission is listed as Change’E-5), is designed to soft-land on the far side of the Moon and deliver a surface rover (probably a copy of the rover landed on the near side by the Chang’E-3 mission in 2013) to measure surface chemical and mineral composition, the morphology of the surface, and other physical properties. In addition, the lander will probably deploy a demonstration experiment to observe the low frequency radio sky from the far side, a location permanently shielded from the radio noise generated by the Earth’s ionosphere. Such an experiment will have the goal of evaluating the facility of such observations for future larger installations on the far side of the Moon.</p> <p></p> <p>The far side of the Moon is important for the study of the Moon as a planet. From orbit, we have found that the enormous <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://tinyurl.com/jsm8kpd?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" target="_blank">South Pole-Aitken basin</a> (an impact crater over 2,500 km across) exposes the deepest parts of the lunar crust. This feature is the oldest crater on the Moon, having formed early in the history of the Solar System. Determining its age and compositional effects is a key question, not only for lunar science but also for the history and processes of planetary evolution in general. Although we need samples of this feature to definitively answer these questions, surface <em>in situ</em> measurement of properties at a known location can provide important “ground truth” for data obtained from orbit. Obtaining the first direct measurements of the surface of the far side, as well as getting our first look at the low-frequency radio sky—key to understanding the early history of the universe—is potentially breakthrough science.</p> <p></p> <p>The return of samples of the near side by the <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://tinyurl.com/hbv96gd?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" target="_blank">Chang’E-5 mission</a> this year will be another milestone. Although we do not yet know where this spacecraft will land, indications are that it will probably be in the same region of the Moon where Chang’E-3 previously landed, i.e., the northwest area of the near side, somewhere around or in Mare Imbrium. Samples of relatively young mare basalt lavas will help explain the more recent stages of the volcanic history of the Moon, for which there is currently little direct information (except from lunar meteorites, for which we have no geological context).</p> <p></p> <p>But scientific considerations for both of these missions are secondary to their strategic operational value. Together, their successful execution completes China’s mastery of cislunar spaceflight. Landing on the Moon, collecting a sample, and returning it to Earth constitute all the required phases of a human lunar mission. The Chang’E lander is relatively large (capable of landing 1,200 kg on the lunar surface), roughly one-quarter the capacity of the Apollo Lunar Module (4,600 kg)—and much larger than necessary to land the 140 kg Yutu rover. All steps—landing, rendezvous in orbit and Earth return—will be demonstrated on this mission. Coupled with the development of new launch vehicles (including the forthcoming <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://tinyurl.com/zvutcye?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" target="_blank">Long March 9, capable of sending 130 tones to low earth orbit</a>, i.e., Saturn V-class), China will have the capability to send human and large cargo missions to the lunar surface within the next 5-7 years.</p> <p></p> <p>The far side mission of Chang’E-4 also provides new operational capabilities. Because it is not possible to communicate directly with spacecraft on the far side of the Moon from the Earth, control and operation of the Chang’E-4 lander and rover will use a relay satellite positioned in a “halo orbit” around the distant L-2 point over the far side. This mode of operations will extend Chinese experience in operations and control in deep space beyond LEO, allowing them to <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://tinyurl.com/gtm9124?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" target="_blank">move and operate spacecraft at any point in cislunar space</a>. Such capability has serious national security implications.</p> <p></p> <p>The concept of <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://tinyurl.com/h33rb9y?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" target="_blank">concealing true intentions in space by using science</a> as a “cover story” has a long and venerable history. China’s upcoming missions to the Moon, in addition to seeking unique and interesting scientific information, are immensely significant operationally. The lunar science community welcomes these missions, but in this euphoria, those concerned with the broader arena of national interests should not lose sight of the fact that China’s dedicated move into cislunar space is driven by their military needs and ambitions, not by science. These missions are part of <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://tinyurl.com/zclv24r?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" target="_blank">China’s long-term, deliberate strategy</a> designed to obtain control of cislunar space. While the missions are not inherently bellicose, we would be foolish to ignore the obvious national security implications of such capabilities.</p> <p></p> <p>“Pointless?” Not to China, and certainly not to those who understand the uses and value of cislunar space.</p> </div> <div class="newsletter-signup-article-wrapper" style="margin: 10px 0 30px 0;"> <div class="newsletter-signup-article-text" style="font-size: 22px;"> Like this article?<br><span>SIGN UP</span> for our newsletter </div> <form action="/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/newsletters/subscribe/" method="GET"><input class="email-input" type="text" name="email" title="email" placeholder="Email"> <input class="button" type="submit" value="SIGN UP" id="in-article-newsletter-signup-button"> </form> </div> <footer class="article-footer"> <section class="author-box"> <h6 class="headline">About Paul D. Spudis</h6><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/f6I6Wd7VouvOu5m4uYgnN5r7h8g=/fit-in/160x80/filters:no_upscale()/https://public-media.si-cdn.com/accounts/headshot/blog_headshot_spudis-300x300.jpg" alt="Paul D. Spudis" class="headshot"> <div class="bio"> <p>Paul D. Spudis (1952-2018) was a senior staff scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas, and a prolific author on the subject of the moon. His books include <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.amazon.com/Value-Moon-Explore-Prosper-Resources/dp/1588345033/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1545149327&sr=1-1&refinements=p_27:Paul+D.+Spudis&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" target="_new"><i>The Value of the Moon: How to Explore, Live, and Prosper in Space Using the Moon's Resources</i></a>.</p><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/author/paul-d-spudis/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" title="Read more from this author">Read more from this author</a> </div> </section> </footer> <section class="tag-list" style="margin-bottom: 0;"> <h5 class="header">Tags</h5> <nav class="nav nav-tags"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/tag/chinese-space-program/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">Chinese Space Program</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/tag/lunar-exploration/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">Lunar Exploration</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/tag/once-and-future-moon/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">Once and Future Moon</a> </nav> </section> <div class="visuallyhidden articles daily-planet space"></div> <div class="pw-server-widget" data-id="wid-evaehsnr" data-title="China’s Moon missions are anything but pointless." data-via="airspacemag"></div> <script type="text/javascript"> var pwidget_config = { mobileOverlay: true, i18n: { readMore: '<br/><br/>Read more: {link}<br/>Save 47% when you subscribe to Air & Space magazine http://bit.ly/NaSX4X<br/>Follow us: @AirSpaceMag on Twitter' } }; </script> <div style="margin-top: 30px;"> <div id="zergnet-widget-49077"></div> <script language="javascript" type="text/javascript"> (function() { var zergnet = document.createElement('script'); zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true; zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=49077'; var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr); })(); </script> </div> <nav class="nextprev-nav" style="margin-top: 40px;"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/small-gets-big-180961530/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="stepper prev"> <span class="thumbnail"> <img class="GTM-prev-article" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/Wf9MpUPUhES6TddeW0BAAjCC-yw=/220x130/https://public-media.si-cdn.com/filer/50/b4/50b41785-cda3-4ed6-a993-704344b7f4a5/dobby.jpg" alt=""> </span> <div class="video-info"> <h6 class="sub-title GTM-prev-article">Previous Article</h6> <h4 class="title GTM-prev-article">Small Is the Next Big Trend in Consumer UAVs</h4> </div></a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/getting-high-skies-180961700/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="stepper next"> <span class="thumbnail"> <img class="GTM-next-article" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/FYyo_F08Z2GUZVGGjHKgaU5f4Ds=/220x130/https://public-media.si-cdn.com/filer/e4/21/e421dd89-300f-47de-abe4-7692aeab948a/passengers.jpg" alt=""> </span> <div class="video-info"> <h6 class="sub-title GTM-next-article">Next Article</h6> <h4 class="title GTM-next-article">In 1950, Airlines Didn’t Serve Liquor Over Dry States</h4> </div></a> </nav> </main> <div class="sidebar"> <div id="ATF_300x250_300x600_300x1050" class="cbv-ad" style=""> <div id="div-gpt-ad-chuckweasley-2" class="ad-slot" data-ad-settings="desktopSideTop"></div> </div> <aside class="most-popular tab-container"> <h4 class="headline">Most Popular</h4> <nav class="tabs"></nav> <div id="Tab-Viewed" class="pane"> <ol class="popular-list"> <li><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/f-35-faces-most-critical-test-180971734?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">F-35: What The Pilots Say</a></li> <li><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/space/12_fm2017-mysteries-of-sagittarius-a-180961673?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">The First Sighting of a Black Hole</a></li> <li><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/the-raiders-remember-41098347?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">The Raiders Remember</a></li> <li><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/legends-of-an-ocean-crossing-seaplane-180971743?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">Legends of an Ocean-Crossing Seaplane</a></li> <li><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/escape-to-u-taphao-112?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">Escape to U Taphao</a></li> <li><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/space/the-real-reasons-we-explore-space-18816871?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">The Real Reasons We Explore Space</a></li> <li><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/how-korean-war-almost-went-nuclear-180955324?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">How the Korean War Almost Went Nuclear</a></li> <li><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/truth-about-mig-29-180952403?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">The Truth About the MiG-29</a></li> <li><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/whatever-reason-when-i-was-alert-they-flew-180971260?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">This F-15 Pilot Holds the NORAD Record for Interceptions</a></li> <li><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/history-ww2-25-airplanes-180954056?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">A History of WW2 in 25 Airplanes</a></li> </ol> </div> </aside> <div class="plugin-wrapper module right-sidebar-article smithsonian-journeys-as"> <div class="OMZ-journeys-right-rail-ad"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://www.smithsonianjourneys.org/tours/celebrate-smithsonian/?src=sjmod-new-sp-rsp&utm_source=airandspacemag.com&utm_medium=module&utm_campaign=sjmod-new-sp-rsp&utm_content=celebrate-new&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB"><img title="Visit Udvar-Hazy and enjoy a highlights tour with the curators" alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://public.media.smithsonianmag.com/filer/cf/d8/cfd845fb-8482-40d6-b7e5-48e3bb4b02cc/visit-udvar-hazy-and-enjoy-a-highlights-tour-with-the-curators.jpg" width="300" border="0"></a> </div> </div> <div class="sticky-clearance"></div> <div class="sticky-block"> <div class="sticky-content"> <div id="BTF_Sticky_300x250" class="cbv-ad" style=""> <div id="div-gpt-ad-chuckweasley-3" class="ad-slot ad-slot-noheader" data-ad-settings="desktopSideBottom"></div> </div> <div id="sticky-sidebar"> <div class="plugin-wrapper module sidebar-bottom-article circulation-subscribe-2"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://subscribe.airspacemag.com/airspace.php?idx=263&inetz=www-page-right-rail-L-C&ipromo=%7Crmnt%7Csub%7C54pct%7Cbanner%7CJan-14%7C2-covers-ipad%7C300x200%7Cprice-ctrl&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB"><img title="Circulation Subscribe 2" alt="Circulation Subscribe 2" src="/web/20190410131643im_/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/chinas-moon-missions-are-anything-pointless-180961633/public.media.smithsonianmag.com/filer/0d/64/0d646a9c-677a-4b91-8e31-2a221fba42e3/airspace-subscribe-v-2-2.jpg" width="300" border="0"></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="signup-wrapper"> <div class="magazine-signup"> <div class="issue-promo"> <h6 class="headline">Current Issue | <time class="issue-date">April/May 2019</time></h6><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/issue/aprilmay-2019/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="more"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/EW2p2gtjbITqUgaou3_YbXG1HNw=/fit-in/192x256/filters:no_upscale()/https://public-media.si-cdn.com/filer/b9/d5/b9d50049-3d49-488c-9826-5c8c6de75583/am2019_as_web_cover.jpg" alt="April/May 2019 magazine cover" class="cover"></a> <div class="stories"> <ul class="article-list"> <li><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/legends-of-an-ocean-crossing-seaplane-180971743/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">Legends of an Ocean-Crossing Seaplane</a></li> <li><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/coffee-tea-emergency-response-flight-attendants-first-responders-180971741/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">Coffee, Tea, or Emergency Response?</a></li> <li><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/space/helicopter-dreams-of-mars-180971739/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB">A Helicopter Dreams of Mars</a></li> </ul><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/issue/aprilmay-2019/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="more">View Table of Contents</a> </div> </div> <form action="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://subscribe.airspacemag.com/airspace.php?inetz=www-page-subscription-form" method="get" class="magazine-signup-form"><input type="hidden" name="idx" value="263"> <h6 class="headline">Subscribe</h6> <p class="deal-info">Save 55% off the cover price!</p> <fieldset class="field-group name-fields"><legend class="outofsight">First & Last Name</legend> <div class="field"><label for="Subscribe-First-Name" class="visuallyhidden">First Name</label> <input type="text" name="sf[fstName]" id="Subscribe-First-Name" placeholder="First Name"> </div> <div class="field last"><label for="Subscribe-Last-Name" class="visuallyhidden">Last Name</label> <input type="text" name="sf[lstName]" id="Subscribe-Last-Name" placeholder="Last Name"> </div> </fieldset> <div class="field"><label for="Subscribe-Address1" class="visuallyhidden">Address 1</label> <input type="text" name="sf[address1]" id="Subscribe-Address1" placeholder="Address 1"> </div> <div class="field"><label for="Subscribe-Address2" class="visuallyhidden">Address 2</label> <input type="text" name="sf[address2]" id="Subscribe-Address2" placeholder="Address 2"> </div> <fieldset class="field-group secondary-address-fields"><legend class="outofsight">City / State</legend> <div class="field"><label for="Subscribe-City" class="visuallyhidden">City</label> <input type="text" name="sf[city]" id="Subscribe-City" placeholder="City"> </div> <div class="field state-field"><label for="Subscribe-State" class="visuallyhidden">State</label> <div class="select-wrap"><select name="" id="Subscribe-State"> <option value="AL" selected>AL</option> <option value="AK">AK</option> <option value="AS">AS</option> <option value="AE">AE</option> <option value="AA">AA</option> <option value="AE">AE</option> <option value="AP">AP</option> <option value="AZ">AZ</option> <option value="AR">AR</option> <option value="CA">CA</option> <option value="CO">CO</option> <option value="CT">CT</option> <option value="DE">DE</option> <option value="DC">DC</option> <option value="FL">FL</option> <option value="GA">GA</option> <option value="GU">GU</option> <option value="HI">HI</option> <option value="ID">ID</option> <option value="IL">IL</option> <option value="IN">IN</option> <option value="IA">IA</option> <option value="KS">KS</option> <option value="KY">KY</option> <option value="LA">LA</option> <option value="ME">ME</option> <option value="MD">MD</option> <option value="MA">MA</option> <option value="MI">MI</option> <option value="MN">MN</option> <option value="MS">MS</option> <option value="MO">MO</option> <option value="MT">MT</option> <option value="NE">NE</option> <option value="NV">NV</option> <option value="NH">NH</option> <option value="NJ">NJ</option> <option value="NM">NM</option> <option value="NY">NY</option> <option value="NC">NC</option> <option value="ND">ND</option> <option value="MP">MP</option> <option value="OH">OH</option> <option value="OK">OK</option> <option value="OR">OR</option> <option value="PW">PW</option> <option value="PA">PA</option> <option value="PR">PR</option> <option value="RI">RI</option> <option value="SC">SC</option> <option value="SD">SD</option> <option value="TN">TN</option> <option value="TX">TX</option> <option value="UT">UT</option> <option value="VT">VT</option> <option value="VI">VI</option> <option value="VA">VA</option> <option value="WA">WA</option> <option value="WV">WV</option> <option value="WI">WI</option> <option value="WY">WY</option> </select> </div> </div> <div class="field last"><label for="Subscribe-Zip" class="visuallyhidden">Zip</label> <input type="text" name="sf[zip]" id="Subscribe-Zip" placeholder="Zip"> </div> </fieldset> <fieldset class="field-group"><legend class="outofsight">Email Address</legend> <div class="field"><label for="Subscribe-Email" class="visuallyhidden">Enter your email address</label> <input type="email" name="sf[email]" id="Subscribe-Email" placeholder="Email address"> </div> </fieldset> <p class="actions"><button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary magazine-signup-form-subscribe-button">Subscribe</button> <span class="or-opt">or</span> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://subscribe.airspacemag.com/airspace_gift.php?idx=172&inetz=www-page-subscription-form-L-C&ipromo=%7Cperm%7Cgift%7C30-pct%7Cbanner%7CJan-14%7Cembedded-form%7C338x440%7Cprice-ctrl&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="gift-cta">Give a Gift</a></p> </form> </div> <form action="/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/newsletters/subscribe/" method="get" class="newsletter-signup"> <h5 class="headline">Newsletters</h5> <p class="lead">Updates, newsletters and special offers</p> <ul class="options"> <li>This Week's Best Stories</li> <li>Air & Space Magazine</li> <li>Smithsonian Store</li> <li>Smithsonian Journeys</li> <li>Special Offers</li> </ul> <h6 class="cta-headline">Subscribe Now</h6> <div class="field"><label for="Newsletter-Email" class="visuallyhidden">Enter your email address</label> <input type="email" name="email" id="Newsletter-Email" placeholder="Email address" required> </div> <p class="actions"><button type="submit" class="btn-secondary">Sign up</button></p> </form> </div> </div> </div> <div class="sub-footer-wrapper"> <footer class="sub-footer"><span class="logo-wrap"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="logo"><span class="outofsight">Air & Space Magazine</span></a></span> <nav class="primary-nav nav"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true">Homepage</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn selected" data-exempt="true">Daily Planet</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true">Flight Today</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/space-exploration/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true">Space</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true">Military</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true">History of Flight</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/interviews/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true">Interviews</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/photos/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true">Photos</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/videos/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true">Videos</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/virtual-space/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="nav-btn sibling" data-exempt="true">Virtual Space</a> </nav> </footer> </div> <div class="footer-wrapper"> <footer class="site-footer"> <nav class="quinary-nav nav"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/about/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" title="About Air & Space">About</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/contact-us/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" title="Contact Us">Contact</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/advertising/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" title="Advertising">Advertising</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/sustainability/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" title="Sustainability" target="_blank">Sustainability</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://subscribe.airspacemag.com/airspace.php?idx=263&inetz=www-page-footer-L-C&ipromo=%7Cperm%7Csub%7C54pct%7Ctext%7C%7Cgrey%7C%7Cprice-ctrl&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" target="_blank" title="Subscribe" id="footer-subscribe">Subscribe</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/rss/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" title="RSS">RSS</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/member-services/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" title="Member Services">Member Services</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.si.edu/termsofuse?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" target="_blank" title="Terms of Use">Terms of Use</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/about/privacy/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" title="Privacy Policy">Privacy Policy</a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.airspacemag.com/about/privacy/third-party/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" title="Ad Choices">Ad Choices</a> </nav> <nav class="affiliates-nav nav"><a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.si.edu/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="affiliate smithsonian-institute" target="_blank"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/img/smithsonian-institute-logo.png" alt="Smithsonian Institution"> </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.smithsonianstore.com/home.do?code=H9IBSMAD&utm_source=Airspacemag.com&utm_medium=globalfooter&utm_campaign=referlink&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="affiliate smithsonian-store" target="_blank"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/img/smithsonian-store-logo.png" alt="Smithsonian Store"> </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.smithsonianjourneys.org/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="affiliate smithsonian-journeys" target="_blank"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/img/smithsonian-journeys-logo.png" alt="SmithsonianJourneys.org"> </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="affiliate smithsonian-magazine" target="_blank"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/img/smithsonian-logo-small.png" alt="Smithsonian.com"> </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="affiliate smithsonian-channel" target="_blank"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/img/smithsonian-channel-logo.png" alt="Smithsonian Channel"> </a> <a href="https://web-archive-org.translate.goog/web/20190410131643/https://www.smithsonianbooks.com/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-GB" class="affiliate smithsonian-books" target="_blank"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/img/smithsonian-books-logo.png" alt="Smithsonian Books"> </a> </nav> </footer> </div> <div id="Sticky_Bottom_320x50" class="cbv-ad" style=""> <div id="div-gpt-ad-chuckweasley-mobile-2" class="ad-slot ad-slot-notxt ad-mobile ad-fixed-mobile ad-slot-noheader" data-ad-settings="mobileBottom"></div> </div> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/ads/default.js"></script> <div id="OOP_1x1" class="" style=""> <div id="div-gpt-ad-chuckweasley-outofpage" class="" data-ad-settings="outofpage"> <script type="text/javascript"> googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-chuckweasley-outofpage'); }); </script> </div> </div> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/dist/js/vendor.min.js"> </script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/plugins/smartquotesjs-master/dist/smartquotes.js"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/plugins/Pikaday-master/pikaday.js"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/plugins/Pikaday-master/plugins/pikaday.jquery.js"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/plugins/jarallax-master/dist/jarallax.min.js"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/plugins/jarallax-master/dist/jarallax-video.min.js"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/core/off-canvas-toggle.js"> </script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/core/mobile-handling.js"> </script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/widgets/SlideshowView.js"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/widgets/BillboardMobileView.js"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/widgets/SlideView.js"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/widgets/BillboardDesktopView.js"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/widgets/PhotoEssayView.js"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/widgets/slideshow.js"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/widgets/shop.js"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/widgets/subscribe.js"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/widgets/scrollNav.js"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/widgets/sticky.js"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/widgets/voting.js"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/main.js"></script> <script> // Google WebFont configuration and initialization WebFontConfig = { google: { families: [ 'Open+Sans:400italic,700italic,300,400,700:latin' ] } }; (function() { var wf = document.createElement('script'); wf.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https' : 'http') + '://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/webfont/1/webfont.js'; wf.type = 'text/javascript'; wf.async = 'true'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(wf, s); })(); </script> <script type="text/javascript">cpp_value="AIRSPACEMAG";</script> <script type="text/javascript"> ;(function (g) { var d = document, am = d.createElement('script'), h = d.head || d.getElementsByTagName("head")[0], fsr = 'fsReady', aex = { "src": "//web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://gateway.foresee.com/sites/smithsonian/production/gateway.min.js", "type": "text/javascript", "async": "true", "data-vendor": "fs", "data-role": "gateway" }; for (var attr in aex){am.setAttribute(attr, aex[attr]);}h.appendChild(am);g[fsr] = function () {var aT = '__' + fsr + '_stk__';g[aT] = g[aT] || [];g[aT].push(arguments);}; })(window); </script>    <script> window.webtrendsAsyncInit=function(){ var dcs=new Webtrends.dcs().init({ dcsid:"dcsn3ma2badzpx7imuei45lng_7s5c", domain:"logs1.smithsonian.museum", timezone:-5, i18n:true, fpcdom:".airspacemag.com", plugins:{ } }).track(); }; (function(){ var s=document.createElement("script"); s.async=true; s.src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/webtrends.min.js"; var s2=document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s2.parentNode.insertBefore(s,s2); }()); </script> <noscript> <img alt="dcsimg" id="dcsimg" width="1" height="1" src="//web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://logs1.smithsonian.museum/dcsn3ma2badzpx7imuei45lng_7s5c/njs.gif?dcsuri=/nojavascript&WT.js=No&WT.tv=10.4.23&dcssip=www.airspacemag.com"> </noscript>   <script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ var google_conversion_id = 1046495949; var google_conversion_label = "0H3KCLLm_1wQzYWB8wM"; var google_custom_params = window.google_tag_params; var google_remarketing_only = true; /* ]]> */ </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="//web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/conversion.js"></script> <noscript> <div style="display:inline;"><img height="1" width="1" style="border-style:none;" alt="" src="//web.archive.org/web/20190410131643im_/https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/viewthroughconversion/1046495949/?value=1.00&currency_code=USD&label=0H3KCLLm_1wQzYWB8wM&guid=ON&script=0"> </div> </noscript> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190410131643js_/https://static-media.smithsonianmag.com/js/widgets/article.js"></script> <script>function gtElInit() {var lib = new google.translate.TranslateService();lib.translatePage('en', 'en', function () {});}</script> <script src="https://translate.google.com/translate_a/element.js?cb=gtElInit&hl=en-GB&client=wt" type="text/javascript"></script> </body> </html>