China to launch moon rover mission to scout out locations for a lunar base (9:30am PST/12:30pm EST)

Daily Mail (UK) ^ | 30NOV2013 | Daily Mail Reporter

[Jack Hydrazine]

China will tomorrow become the first country in almost 40 years to soft-land a probe on the moon, in a huge step forward for its ambitious space programme.

The nation will become the third in history to launch a lunar probe when the device, named 'Jade Rabbit' after a Chinese folklore character, launches at 5.30pm on Sunday evening, which is 1.30am local time.

The mission forms part of a plan in which China hopes to build a permanent lunar base in order to launch future missions to Mars within the next 15 years.

[Jack Hydrazine]

The amount of money spent on space travel and exploration is nothing compared to what we spend on entitlements.

It’s 1/2% compared to 60% of the budget.

[reg45]

Any claim we might have was abandoned forty years ago.

[Eleutheria5]

Why? Has someone else taken title by adverse possession?

[BradyLS]

I’ve read it, too. Great book!

[Wanderer99]

Meanwhile back in the USA, we are investing trillions in lazy fat welfare idiots.

[Spktyr]

Given away to the UN decades ago. We renounced our claims and signed it over in a useless peace gesture.

[Eleutheria5]

Ridiculous. The moon would be worth fighting over. What has the UN done with it? What they do best: Nothing.